Evangeline “Vange/Vangie” John (Contos) Mack
While surrounded by her loving family on Friday, February 28, 2014, our cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend Evangeline passed from her earthly life to join her family, friends, and many pets in heaven.
Born in the family home at 110 Utah Street on January 17, 1927, Vangie attended school, worked, and resided in Rawlins, Wyoming, the first 40 years of her life as she proudly stated. She was the middle child and only daughter of her Greek immigrant parents John and Marina (Mira) Contos (originally Kontopoulis), who were fondly called Papou (grandfather) and Yia-yia (grandmother). She grew up hunting and fishing with her father and brothers, James John and Spiro John.
Vange met Dean Mack, and they married on September 28, 1958. They made their home in Rawlins for eight years where they were blessed with their first three of four wonderful children: Marina, their firstborn and only daughter, and sons James and Dean Dee. In December 1968, Dean accepted a job with Mountain Bell which relocated the family to Helena. During their first year in Helena, their family was completed with the birth of their youngest son Spiro.
Vangie and Dean built a home and raised their four children in the East Helena valley. Vangie was a homemaker and cared for their children. She volunteered at their school and participated with the PTA, Boy Scouts, and the children’s various activities. She worked part time during the day so she could take the children to and be with her children after school. When the children grew, Vangie worked a full-time job at the State of Montana Insurance Auditor’s Division, from which she retired.
In addition to caring for her family, Vangie was active in the Helena valley community. Following a fire that destroyed a neighbor’s home, she and several other individuals began raising donations to re-establish the East Valley Volunteer Fire Department. She was one of the members of the newly established Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church parish council. Vangie’s faith was Greek Orthodox. With no Greek Orthodox parish in Helena, she attended the Catholic church with her family, and the family traveled with her to Great Falls to attend Greek Orthodox Mass.
She was well known for her amazing Greek cooking, especially her baklava—a Christmas favorite. Our home was always filled with the wonderful and tantalizing aromas of her cooking and baking. She taught her children and grandchildren how to cook many Greek dishes, wonderful Greek pastries, and established many Greek family traditions which will continue for future family generations. During frequent family gatherings, if Vangie wasn’t preparing the food, we were under her watchful eye to ensure everything was prepared just right.
Vangie loved her family unconditionally and was especially proud of her four children. They were her entire world…until her grandchildren came along. When Kimberly, the first grandchild was born, she affectionately became known as “Grandma” and Dean as “Grandpa,” and both have been called those endearing names by everyone ever since.
In recent years, she enjoyed Western movies (especially those which starred John Wayne), reading, family gatherings, and her pets to which she fondly called her menagerie. Vange became the surrogate mom to Essie, a kitten that was only a few days old when Vange rescued and bottle fed her. She also loved her pet cockatiels, Garth and Reba, and the wild birds she fed outside.
In the last two years of her life as her memory started to fade due to the onset of dementia, she continued to live at home being cared for by Dean, her husband of 55 years. Her three children and their families, who have homes neighboring the family home in what is lovingly referred to as the “Mack Compound,” and her son and daughter-in-law from Bozeman also assisted with care and support. In addition, the wonderful staff at Frontier Home Health visited and cared for Vangie multiple times each week.
During the last weeks of her life when she could no longer be cared for at home, she was compassionately and lovingly cared for by staff at Frontier Home Health and Rosetta Assisted Living. Her family graciously thanks all of the staff at Frontier and Rosetta for their attention to Evangeline.
Evangeline is survived by her husband, Dean; children Marina, Jim, Dean D., Spiro (Connie); grandchildren Kimberly, Stephanie, A.J., Christopher (Kayli), and Caleb; and great-grandchildren Kane and Gauge; and close family friends Jason and Aaron. Her four-legged family members—Suzie Q., Nala, Buster, and Jasper—will miss her dearly.
Evangeline is now reunited with her parents, brothers, and other family members in heaven. Other relatives who preceded her in death include her in-laws, John and Marie, and brother-in-law Eugene.
Visitation with the family is scheduled on Thursday, March 6, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 North Montana Avenue. A memorial service will be celebrated at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, 1502 Shirley Road, at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 7, with Fr. Dan Shea, celebrant. A luncheon will immediately follow the memorial celebration. A burial mass will be celebrated at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with Rev. Fr. Jason Dickey presiding. Interment of Evangeline’s remains follows in Beth El Cemetery where she will rest near her parents.
Friends who wish to contribute a memorial for Evangeline are invited to share with the Lewis and Clark Humane Society or the American Cancer Society. Please visit below to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Vangie.
We love you, Grandma, and will dearly miss you!
Service Schedule
Family and Friends Service
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Thursday March 6, 2014
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Friday March 7, 2014
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church
1502 Shirley Rd.
Helena, Montana 59602
Reception
After the Service
Friday March 7, 2014
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church
1502 Shirley Rd.
Helena, Montana 59602
Service Schedule
Family and Friends Service
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Thursday March 6, 2014
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home
3750 N. Montana Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Memorial Service
11:00 a.m.
Friday March 7, 2014
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church
1502 Shirley Rd.
Helena, Montana 59602
Reception
After the Service
Friday March 7, 2014
Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church
1502 Shirley Rd.
Helena, Montana 59602
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Toby DeWolf says
To the Mack family: My thoughts and prays are with you all. I hope you can find some comfort knowing Vangie is with God now. She left a beautiful legacy to carry forward. Peace be with you all.
Mark & Jamie Reese says
We were very saddened to hear about the passing of Vange. We were blessed to have known her kind spirit and gentle soul. Vange was my second mother and always made me feel welcome, whether it be sharing some of her wonderful cooking, offering some sage advice, or entrusting Spiro and I to only buy groceries that were on the list. May good memories comfort you all during the days and months ahead.
Susan C. Witte says
I worked with Van Mack at the Montana Insurance Department and can see her now in that tiny room full of insurance licensing forms. When I met her son, Dean, I was so glad to know that she was his mother. The Mack family is fortunate to have such a strong loving family, due no doubt in large part to their mother. She is missed.
Susan C. Witte, Helena