Mary Kay Haugen

Mary Kay Haugen, 67 of Lewistown, MT passed away February 8th in Surprise, AZ following a 2 year battle with a rare form of cancer, cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). Mary Kay was born July 25, 1953 to Trygve and Mary Fran Haugen, the middle child of five. The early years of Mary Kay’s life were spent on Upper Spring Creek at the family home. ‘MK’ absolutely loved floating the creek on an innertube and over the years would organize and lead many float trips during summer family gatherings.

Following graduation from Fergus County High School in 1972, she attended college in Spokane, WA but soon returned to Lewistown to be closer to family. In 1976 she gave birth to her beloved son Brian, who was her greatest joy. In 1986 Mary Kay began sharing life with her partner Dana Eastman and sometime along the way they became die hard University of Montana football fans, frequently traveling to Missoula to watch the Griz play. They continued their journey together until Dana’s death on February 8, 2005. Mary Kay worked as an administrative professional for several businesses in Lewistown including Oaas Law offices where she worked for 16 years as a Legal Secretary before retiring in 2014.

In 2007 Mary Kay met a loving, caring and compassionate man, Tom Storfa, himself a widower. After her retirement, Tom and Mary Kay spent their winters together in Surprise, Arizona where they developed a tight and supportive community of friends. These friends, whom Mary Kay referred to as her ‘Arizona family,’ shared many desert sunsets together drinking chardonnay and discussing the obvious benefits of not owning a snow shovel. Tom and Mary Kay enjoyed traveling by motorcycle, Corvette, and air, having visited local hotspots, the mountain West, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. But it was Hawaii, especially Maui, that Mary Kay truly loved. After Mary Kay’s cancer diagnosis in 2019, she was accepted into a clinical trial at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. During Mary Kay’s fight, Tom drove her countless times to Mayo Clinic for appointments and chemotherapy. Tom worked tirelessly to comfort Mary Kay and to ensure she was taken care of right to the end. Mary Kay and Tom have been blessed with a circle of very special friends and family in both Arizona and Lewistown. Their friendship, devotion and never ending love and support will always be remembered by Mary Kay’s family. Her most precious gift was her grandson, Trygve, who gave her the will and inspiration to fight to the end.

Mary Kay is survived by her son Brian (Diana) Haugen, grandson Trygve George Haugen of Fairbanks AK; Tom Storfa; brothers Bill Haugen, Mike (Jerri Lynn) Haugen, Tom Haugen, all of Lewistown MT; sister Patti (Tom) Bryson of Billings MT. Also surviving are several very special nieces, Tracy Haugen, Shayla (Shaun) Sideris; nephews, Trig (Kalina) Haugen, Taylor (Nicole) Bryson; great nieces, Olivia, Ava, Laila; and great nephews, Shawn, Hendrix.

A celebration of life will be held later this summer in Lewistown, MT and next winter in Surprise, AZ. At Mary Kay’s request, cremation has taken place and her ashes will be shared in Alaska, Montana and Maui, HI.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to cholangiocarcinoma.org