Marcene Rae Sievert Harvey passed away peacefully on January 1, 2026, in Bozeman, Montana, at the age of 86.
Marcene was born in Bozeman, Montana, on November 26, 1939, the third daughter of Grant and Grace Sievert. Marcene’s mother, Grace, was stricken with multiple sclerosis (MS) and was not able to care for her; she went to live with Grace’s sister, Effie, and her husband, Sid Coulston, fondly called Auntie and Uncle. Marcene spent most of her childhood with Auntie and Uncle. Sadly, Grace passed away when Marcene was only seven years old. When Marcene was fifteen years old, she decided she wanted to live with her dad and her siblings.
Marcene married Thomas Fred Harvey (Tom) on August 12, 1959. While on their honeymoon, Tom and Marcene went to Yellowstone Park, passing through a Hebgen Lake campground. Just a few days later, on August 17, 1959, that campground was buried during the earthquake that created Quake Lake. Fortunately, they were not there at the time, and the story became a memorable part of their family history. They went on to welcome their first child, Dale Thomas (fondly called Tommy), in June 1960. A second son, James Grant (fondly called Jimmy, also the “favorite” child) was born in July 1961. Then, deciding that they needed to try once more to achieve perfection, they welcomed their only daughter, Deborah Lucille (fondly called Debbie, and yes, she is writing this tribute) in March 1964. Tom and Marcene spent the early years of their marriage in Bozeman. In the late 1960s, they moved to Belgrade, where they spent the rest of their years together until Tom’s passing in 2008.
Anyone who knew Marcene knows how creative and talented she was. Marcene was always creating. She did many things, including cake decorating, ceramics, crocheting, cross stitching, cutting out and painting wooden shapes, painting rocks to look like animals, but mostly, she was known for her incredible china painting. Marcene created so many gorgeous pieces of artwork.
Marcene was also very active in many other ways. Her favorite activity was watching her sons in sports (Debbie has no athletic ability). Fortunately for her, her boys were in sports year-round. Throughout the years, there were many camping trips, potluck dinners, and family gatherings. Tom and Marcene were introduced to paddle fishing, and Marcene took to it like a pro. She landed a few pretty handsome specimens and then had a huge fish fry with the family.
Marcene was an extremely capable and determined woman with a will all her own. When she put her mind to something, she was unstoppable. On a few occasions, she decided that she wanted to redo her kitchen. Tom came home from work one day, and Marcene had the kitchen completely torn apart. She only needed a little assistance from Tom to finish.
Marcene was mostly a homemaker, but she did have a few outside endeavors. Tom and Marcene owned a ceramic store for some years in Bozeman. After selling the store, Marcene obtained her commercial driver’s license (CDL) and became a school bus driver for Belgrade schools. She could maneuver even the longest bus perfectly. She formed wonderful lifelong friendships with the other bus drivers. Bus driving is where she got her nickname “Marshmallow”, her CB handle.
Marcene also had a deep love for animals, especially her dogs, who were cherished members of her family. She found great joy in their companionship, and they were an important and beloved part of her life.
Marcene was preceded in death by her parents, Grant and Grace; her husband, Tom; her brother, Bill; sisters, Roanne, Caroline, and Denise; much-beloved Auntie and Uncle; and stepmother, Laveda. She is survived by her son, Tom (Lori); grandchildren, Brandon (Alisha) and their son, Aiden, Brittney (Matt), and their son, Louis; son Jim (Julie); grandchildren, Ben and Grace; daughter, Debbie (Matt); grandchildren, Travis (Danielle) and Tyler; brother, Wes Kezar and sister, Sharon Hinman. Marcene was blessed with a very large extended family and is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws whom she loved dearly.
Marcene spent her last years at The Springs at Bozeman, where she developed a number of special friendships with her caregivers. Tom, Jim, and Debbie are extremely thankful for the loving care she received while there.
The family would also like to acknowledge Marcene’s niece, Carrie, whose steady presence and support during Marcene’s final days were a great comfort to her children.
In early June, there will be a short Graveside Service followed by a Celebration of Life of this amazing woman. The date and time will be announced once they are determined.
