Mable Dean

Mable Luella Deane, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away after a long battle with COPD at the age of 75.

Born November 2, 1949, Mable was adopted by Ralph and Margaret Page and grew up in Three Forks, Montana, the youngest of five children. She graduated from Mount Ellis Academy in 1968 and went on to study business at Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington.

After college, Mable returned to her hometown of Three Forks before moving with her son Richard to Bozeman, where she began work with Putnam Trucking. Her experience there, and especially her mentorship under "Sarge," inspired a long and successful career in the trucking industry. In the mid-1970s she became part owner of Mid Montana Trucking, and in the early 1980s, together with her husband Roland E. Deane, she established R.E. Deane Trucking. From their home at the base of Bozeman Hill, Mable and Roland grew the business through the 1980s and into the early 1990s.

Drawn back to her roots, Mable and Roland eventually returned to Three Forks, settling on acreage along the Jefferson River. There, Mable embraced a new chapter of entrepreneurship and community involvement. She purchased the old veterinary building near the high school and founded Mable's Tax Service, offering trusted guidance to neighbors and local businesses. Not long after, she and Roland brought the town its first laundry service in years by relocating their laundromat equipment from Bozeman. Both ventures became mainstays of the community, and through them Mable built lasting relationships that touched countless lives.

Mable will be remembered for her hard work, entrepreneurial spirit, and the deep love she carried for her family and community.

She is survived by her husband, Roland E. Deane; her son, Richard (Lisa Montgomery) of Mesa, Arizona; and her cherished grandsons, Alex (Mesa, AZ) and Christopher (Flagstaff, AZ).

Her presence in Three Forks will be deeply missed, but her legacy of dedication and generosity will live on.

A memorial service will be held graveside at Fairview Cemetery on Friday September 5, 2025 at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to [charity/cause].]