After a 20 year battle with cancer, Myrna Lee DeMilt passed away peacefully in her Fort Collins, CO home on the morning of September 1st, surrounded by her Son Birch Tysko of Denver, CO and her Sister-in-Law DeeAnna Leader of Great Falls, MT.

Myrna was born on July 26th, 1937 to Charles B. Stalnaker and Elsa A. (née Sahlen) Stalnaker in Great Falls, Montana. She grew up in nearby Shelby Montana where she was a lifeguard at the local pool. She graduated from Shelby High School in 1955, where she was a proud Coyote!

A life long lover of education and knowledge, she attended Rocky Mountain College in Billings for two years, then transferred to Montana State University Bozeman, before finally graduating from Eastern College in Billings, where she graduated in 1959 with a teaching degree in English, and minors in Art History, and Theology. She later received her Masters of Education from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, CO.

She taught Fourth Grade for two years at Riverview Grade School in central California, before coming back to Montana to teach in Great Falls until 1973, when she and her children moved to Idaho where she taught for 3 years, and then finally to the Fort Collins area in 1976, where she taught until retirement. Myrna loved living in a “College Town”, as sh had many opportunities to further her education through the many programs Colorado State University in her hometown of Fort Collins offers for continuing education.

She is survived by her Daughter Autumn Tysko of Westminster, CO (58) (Nancy Martin), her Son Birch Tysko of Denver, CO (56), her two grandsons Zane Tysko of Fort Collins, CO (32), and Rand Tysko of Denver, CO (28), as well as her Brother Charles Stalnaker of Helena, CO (83). She was preceded in death by her Daughter Dawn Tysko.

Myrna was a dedicated Mother, Daughter, and Friend. To know Myrna, was to revel in her positive energy and strong spirit.

Friends and family have accurately described her in the following ways: Irrepressible Spirit, Strongest Person I know, Courageous, One of a Kind, Special, Amazing, Wonderful, Fighter, Firecracker, Bright Light, Bright & Beautiful, Compassionate, Curious and Open Minded, Wicked Sense of Humor, and simply A True Gem…

These are all true and what allowed her to flourish even when the hand she was dealt was not the best - to say the least! She made the best of every situation, and taught us “Life is not fair, so learn from the bad that happens, and move on - otherwise the bad situation has won.” Another one of her wise sayings was “If you think you glass is half empty, get a freaking smaller glass!”

Myrna’s family has scheduled a Celebration of Life this Thursday, September 8th from 3-7 at her home in Fort Collins : 3931 Manhattan Ave., Fort Collins, CO 80526.

Questions - Call her Son Birch @303.332.4391

Myrna gave to many charities - she researched to see which ones had the least overhead - and gave to one each month. So in lieu of flowers, please give to a Charity that means something to you, in Myrna’s name. 

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