Mary Jane Rivers passed away on October 19, 2026, at Gallatin Valley Rest Home.
Mary was born in Bozeman, Montana on May 30, 1939. Her parents, Clara and Merrill R. Good, were celebrated citizens in southwest Montana. Mary idolized both of them. Professor Good was the head of the engineering department at Montana State University from 1930 to1948.
In 1948, Mary’s father took a professorial position at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. A few years later, Mary found herself in Arcadia, California, where her father was a professor at the University of Southern California. Then, in the late 1950’s, the Good family was in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where her father was a professor of engineering at the University of Arkansas. It was in Arkansas that Mary met her first husband, Tom Rivers. They were married in 1959.
Tom’s work as a petroleum geologist took Mary further afield from the State of Montana. Tom and Mary had their first child, Deirdre, in Rolla, Missouri. After a couple of years, the Rivers family moved to New Mexico. Laura, Mary’s second child, was born in Roswell. Over the next several years, the Rivers family moved on to Hobbs, New Mexico, then to Midland, Texas, where their third child Todd was born; and, then on to Littleton, Colorado, and then to Plano, Texas.
By 1973, Mary and the whole family were ready to stay in one place for a change. So, when her husband, Tom, had an opportunity to work in Billings, Montana, Mary must have insisted that the Rivers family move back to Big Sky Country.
Mary was a very creative and gifted seamstress. She sewed Halloween costumes, dresses, and shirts for her three children. In 1975-76, she worked as a creative lead seamstress at Hart-Albin department store in Billings, Montana. By 1985, Mary started Window Crafters, her own business specializing in custom draperies. At her downtown Billings office, she employed several of her Hart-Albin friends. Her whole crew remained close friends well into their retirement years.
From 1974 to 2018, Mary lived in the family home in Emerald Hills, a pine wooded area just outside of Billings, Montana…an area and landscape that she adored.
Mary was so very proud of her return to the State of Montana; but, she was exceedingly proud of returning to her hometown of Bozeman for her remaining years. In 2019, she moved back to her hometown of Bozeman to live with her son, Todd. She was often seen walking with him around her old childhood neighborhood near Wilson and Cleveland Streets. Each walk always ended at the home on Cleveland Street. Mary would marvel at the enormous blue spruce tree in front of the house…a tree that was planted when her older brother Bob was born.
Throughout her life, Mary was an animal lover. Her dogs and cats were special loved ones in the family. In her remaining years, two cats, Sammy and Maddie, were especially dear to her.
In her life, Mary had two husbands. Tom Rivers was her first love and father to her three children, Deirdre, Laura, and Todd. Later, in 2014, Robert ‘Bob’ Solie would be her second loving companion in life. They have both since passed.
Mary is survived by her three children, three grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
With her second husband, Bob Solie, Mary enjoyed visiting with the residents and workers at the Special ‘K' Ranch in Columbus, Montana. Memorial contributions may be made to the Special 'K’ Ranch or to a charity of your choice.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com
