Wanda Lou Drusch, 86, of Manhattan, MT, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2026, with family by her side, and in true mom fashion.
Wanda was born in Douglas, WY, on July 2, 1939, to Ben & Francis Hawk. She remained in Cheyenne, where she met the love of her life, Jerry Drusch. They married in 1962 and raised three children, Brent, Elizabeth (Beth) and Kathryn. They eventually moved to Dallas/Fort Worth, Las Vegas, and finally Manhattan, where they called home.
Wanda started working for Gallatin County Justice Court in the early 1980’s, working her way up to Judge Wanda Drusch, where she continued in that role for the county for nearly 28 years. When retirement came knocking, she wasn’t quite ready, so she became the municipal judge for Three Forks and Manhattan until 2023, when she finally hung up her robe.
Wanda was the kindest and most generous soul; if you met her, she was your friend for life. She loved throwing on some jeans and grabbing her beloved dog, Rambo, and heading to the mountains to spend all day with Jerry on their 4-wheeler, taking in the beauty of Montana. She loved country music, dancing, and spending time with her family, being mom, grandma - and great-grandma wasn’t just a title to her, it was everything to her.
The world grew a little dimmer on April 1st when Wanda took her last breath, but we know the gates of Heaven opened wide and welcomed her home to be in the loving arms of the Lord, where she was reunited with her son, Brent, her daughter, Beth, and her granddaughter, Nicole, all of whom left this world too soon.
Wanda is survived by her loving husband of almost 64 years, Jerry; daughter, Kathryn (Kathy/Katrina) ; granddaughter, Dani (Josh) Linse; grandson, Jeremy (Lauren) Stark; great-grandchildren, Ashton Pierce, Gunner and Liberty Stark, and Paisley Lou Linse; and her partner in crime, best friend and shopping buddy, her sister, Donna Kukuchka.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., at Dry Creek Bible Church, 8465 Dry Creek Rd, Belgrade, followed by a short reception. Private family burial will follow at Meadowview Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com [dokkennelson.com]
