Harriet A. “Tootsie” Celar, age 89, of Helena

Harriet Arlene Arthun Celar was born August 28, 1927 to Elsa Theodora Vinningland Arthun and Louis Arthun in Livingston, MT. Mama Dora and Papa Louie took Harriet home to her older sister Verna and four brothers, Carl, Len, Thelbert and Darryl at the family homestead located next to Billy Creek in the foothills northwest of the Crazy Woman Mountains. Papa soon christened her with the nickname “Tootsie” and it stuck so soundly that some people didn’t know who you were talking about if you didn’t refer to her as Tootsie.

Billy Creek merges with Canyon Creek at the edge of the homestead boundary to form Sixteen Mile Creek. At beginning of each Winter, the Arthun family would follow Sixteen Mile Creek into Ringling, Montana where they resided in their home across the street from Ringling School. All the Arthun children attended elementary school in Ringling and when it came time to continue into high school, Tootsie joined her sister in Helena as a live-in baby sitter for her sister and husband Al’s two children, Ted and Bonnie, during the World War II days. After graduating from Helena High School, Tootsie began her working career at the Marlow Theater, and subsequently at First National Bank and at Fort Harrison on the clerical staffs.

Tootsie married John B. Celar on June 20, 1948 and they had three children, Louis John Celar, Len Stephen Celar and Susan Joye Celar, and she was a stay at home mom while living in Helena until 1963 at which time husband John enrolled at Montana State College in Bozeman, MT. While in Bozeman, Tootsie worked at the Montgomery Ward department store in downtown Bozeman, and she was active in church groups at Christ the King Lutheran Church where she and John were charter members. John graduated from MSU (formerly MSC) in 1967 and the family moved back to Helena where Tootsie went to work for AAA Montana. After a time, she got her dream job as secretary for John Larson, Attorney and accompanied him to the Montana Senate as his secretary while he was president of the Montana Senate. It was the battle of politics that fascinated her most.

When John Larson became a district judge and relocated to Missoula, Tootsie retired from her working career and joined her husband John as he traveled across the state of Montana conducting driver education classroom courses with the Montana Safety Council. Together they visited every county in the state and had many interesting stories about the rural community, fun experiences and entertaining encounters.

Tootsie passed away on Tuesday, August 15, 2017, just 13 days before her 90^th birthday.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, four brothers, her sister, and husband John. She is survived by her children John, Bozeman; Steve, Helena; and Susan, Great Falls; four nieces; six nephews; five grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

Service Schedule

Funeral Service

11:00 a.m.

Friday August 18, 2017

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N. Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Reception

Following the Funeral Service

Friday August 18, 2017

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N, Montana Ave

Helena, Montana 59602

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Burial

Following the reception

Friday August 18, 2017

Montana State Veterans Cemetery

Hero's Road

Fort Harrison, Montana 59636

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