Peggy Colleen (Strouf) Hess of Great Falls, Montana, passed away peacefully on the morning of Friday, September 18, 2026.
Peg was born July 15, 1935, to Reuben and Dorothy Strouf. She was part of a family including sisters Patricia and Beverly, and brothers Tom and Reuben. She graduated from Stanford High School and married Lloyd Hess. They had three sons: David, Casey, and Tim. The family lived in Harlowton, where Peg worked for Mountain Bell and the family operated Hess Trucking. Peg and Lloyd later divorced.
Peg continued working for Mountain Bell for a number of years, and this career led her to move about the Mountain West region. Billings, Montana, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Aurora, Colorado all became her home, with Peg eventually purchasing her home in Great Falls, Montana, where she retired from Mountain Bell. She then began working for the bus system of the City of Great Falls.
Peggy was a determined, classy and independent woman. She lived on a hill overlooking the city and wasn’t a bit nervous about driving the steep switchbacks that led to her home, even when a mountain lion was reported in the area. She loved her family and kept an up-to-date brag sheet full of photographs on her fridge. She was especially fond of her companion, Charlie Brown the Shitzu.
Peggy loved The Lawrence Welk Show, and music by the Oakridge Boys and the Statler Brothers.
The family would like to thank special friends Craig and Linda Madsen for their friendship and support.
Peggy is survived by grandchildren Bryan Hess (Chrissy) of Columbus, Rachel Meech (David) of Billings, and Katie Hess (Travis) of Bozeman; Jennifer Perkins of Denver, Chris Hess (Stephanie) of Harlowton; and Brandy Forney (Matthew) of Columbus. Great-grandchildren are Madelynn and Mackenzie Hess, Kaleb and Hailey Meech, Emma Ober, James and Jocelyn Perkins, Karma, Brookelynn and Willow Forney, and Larkin and Lennon Hess
