Lois was born on December 13, 1958, in Battle Creek, MI to John and Sara (McDonough) Parsley. The fourth of six sisters, she was part of a large military family and, as such, lived in many different places to include Battle Creek, MI, Tehran, Iran, and Boston, MA. She graduated from high school in 1977, after which her sister encouraged her to move to Montana in the early 80’s. She worked as a seismographer at Reliable Exploration in Sidney and the surrounding area. Lois quickly made many friends in the community and eventually met Brad Kalberer. After being wined, dined, and romantically proposed to (ask Brad), they were united in marriage on April 26, 1986. Brad and Lois were blessed with three children who became the focal point of her life. She made sure the kids wouldn’t miss out on any opportunity they showed interest in, including sports, hobbies, and clubs. She was their biggest cheerleader and led volunteering efforts in all their pursuits; you name it, Lois was there.

In her free time, Lois pursued many artistic endeavors, such as painting the Ranger mural and “R” in the hockey building. Her garage was often full of projects that were being sanded, painted, or stained. She handmade costumes for her children, which won them many awards on Halloween and at the Pet Parade. Once she was done with her projects, she would spend her evenings reading everything from Fabio to A Song of Ice and Fire (before Game of Thrones was cool).

On May 5, 2015, Lois suffered a brain aneurysm. After a long rehabilitation she was able to leave the clinic. For the past 7 years, Lois and Brad have been traveling around the country visiting family, friends, and staying away from the cold.

Lois was a very caring person, helping anybody that needed assistance no matter who they were. She made friends with those who needed friendship and aided those who needed a helping hand. She was selfless and often put the happiness of others before her own. She didn’t help people for the recognition – she did it because it was the right thing to do.

Lois passed away surrounded by love on Saturday morning, November 12, 2022, at Sidney Health Center, Sidney, MT.

Surviving her are her husband, Brad Kalberer, Sidney, MT; her children, John (Amanda) Kalberer, Seattle, WA, Jacob (Kelsey) Kalberer, Rochester, MN, and Taryn (Chris) Lee, Sidney, MT; her siblings, Sandy (King) Phelps, Hillsboro, OR, Sharon (Tom) Tucker, Augusta, KS, and Anne (John) Linquist, Great Falls, MT; five grandchildren: Brystol, Kate, Karter, Ryan, and Ella.

She was preceded in death by; her parents, John Parsley, and Sara Williams; sisters, Linda Parsley, and Colleen Longmuir.

Memorial Contribution