Sheila was born to Joe and Lil Croff on March 25, 1961, in Great Falls, Montana. Sheila grew up in the family home in Monarch, where she passed away on October 29, 2025.
She attended grade school with her brothers and sisters in a two-room schoolhouse in Monarch until 1972, when the Monarch school was closed and the students were transferred to Belt. Sheila graduated from Belt High School in 1979 and joined the U.S. Coast Guard where she quickly found herself stationed in Kodiak, Alaska. There Sheila met John Mattulat, who was also a “Coastie”. They had their son, Joshua, in 1981. She and John were transferred several times, living numerous places - Idaho, Michigan and Texas. They divorced in 1994.
Sheila met and later married Don Temperton, the love of her life on July 7, 2001, in their home in Dickinson, TX. She and Don moved back home to Monarch in 2003 following the passing of her parents, Joe and Lil Croff, where she lovingly stepped into the role of the “Croff Family Organizer”. She was a great cook and loved cooking for her large extended family. She invited the “gang” to major holidays year after year for 20+ years. It seemed each year the gang grew until she was cooking for up to thirty people. She also hosted family birthday parties, family weddings, and spur of the moment dinners. Sheila and Don graciously made their home the family gathering place. We all loved being able to gather at their place…lots of fun, drinks and good home cooked food.
Sheila’s education, career and work experiences were extensive - from her service in the U.S. Coast Guard, numerous business courses, and employment history. This included working as Executive Administrator at Monarch-based Precision Lift, Inc, a developer and sales operations center for external load helicopter equipment and for helicopter work platforms, all of which were sold to the U.S. Military. From Precision Lift she moved on to Spika Design & Mfg. in Lewistown. In 2010, she landed a sales position with a major aircraft maintenance platform business, Flexdecks, in Houston, Texas. That part of her business life introduced her to every military base in the U.S., working as the principal sales executive for Flexdecks. In that capacity her life became very busy selling large maintenance platform packages and flying to military sites and conventions.
Sheila’s hobbies included needlework, a variety of crafts and sewing. She was an accomplished seamstress, making many of her own clothes as well as many beautiful things for her family. Her focus during the last many years was her job, her home, taking care of Don and their puppies as well as her extended family. She was a life-long member of the St. Clement’s Church in Monarch and volunteered at CASA and Peace Hospice in Great Falls. She was the President of the Monarch Cemetery Association and supported the Monarch Volunteer Fire Department deploying her organizational skills when needed.
Sheila was preceded in death by her parents, Joe (Marvin H Croff, Sr.) and Lil (Lyllis E. Doyle Croff); sister, Anna Marie; brother-in-law, Lloyd (Mac) McMillan; and nephew, Joseph McMillan.
Sheila is survived by Don and his daughter, Evyn Temperton Clark (Paul) and his son, Tyler Temperton (Rayne) and their son, Garrison; her son, Joshua (Katherine) Mattulat, and her much loved grandsons, Sterling, Kassius, Elias, and Ezra; siblings, PattyJo Croff McMillan, Chris J. Croff (Sandra Schwartz), Marvin H. Croff, Catherine R. Croff Burton, Thomas C. Croff, Henry I Croff; and many nieces and nephews; and great nieces and nephews. Sisters in Life include Diana Maus, Lynn Schilling and Alicia Hover.
Sheila’s ashes will be buried at the Monarch Cemetery in the Croff Family section during a private ceremony at a later date.
Donations can be sent to: Monarch Volunteer Fire Department; Peace Hospice of Great Falls; St. Clement’s Church in Monarch, MT; CASA in Great Falls, MT.
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