Online Memorial Tribute

Celia was born in Chicago, IL to Frank John Kowalczyk and Stella Ann Seulewski who both came to the United States from Poland. She was the first daughter of their nine children. The Kowalczyk family settled in Roundup, MT where Celia went to school and worked at Vikers Hospital. Upon graduation from high school in 1945 she went into nurse's training through the Cadet Corps. She left nursing school in 1947 and moved to Shelby, MT where she married Merland Joseph Billedeaux in 1948. In 1950 they had a daughter Victoria Charlene Billedeaux. They later divorced. In 1953 she married Elliott Richie who was later killed in August, 1956 in a car accident. They had settled in Havre, MT. Their son Elliott Franklin Richie was born in October, 1956, two months after the car accident. In 1957 she moved to Lewistown, MT to raise her children. She went to work at St. Joseph’s Hospital in April of 1959. She became known to her co-workers as "Richie". After working a short time as a Nurse's Aide one of her Nursing teachers convinced her she was needed in the Operating Room. She took a correspondence course for Operating Room Technician and in 1968 she took her state boards and became a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked the Operating Room and Emergency Room for about 18 years. When Central Montana Medical Center took over she started working in Central Supply where she worked until her retirement in November of 1996. She helped out in other areas of the hospital with her favorite being the Nursery where she liked rocking and cuddling the babies.

She was devoted to her work at the hospital where she worked for 38 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents Frank & Stella Kowalczyk, her husband Elliott Richie, her brothers, Ben, Chester, Leo & Joe and her sister Jenny Hogg.

She is survived by her brother Harry Kowalczyk of Roundup, MT, and her sisters Emily Schenck of Lewistown, MT and Katie Sweet of Culbertson, MT. She is also survived by her children Vicki Billedeaux of Lewistown, MT and Elliott (& Tracy) Richie of Amarillo, TX.

She has seven grandchildren: Shelley (& Kenny) Draper, Oklahoma, Amber Guge, Billings, MT, Ellett Richie, Amarillo, TX, Scott Richie, Minnesota, Loren (& Michelle) Billedeaux, Shelby, MT, Eric LaRocque and Natasha Anderson, Lewistown, MT and 13 great Grandchildren.

It was said that she was strong willed and did things her way, on her terms.

She will be missed by all of her family and friends.