Services for Margaret K. Benedict were conducted at the St. Charles Catholic Church on 4 January 2006. Burial followed in the Salmon Cemetery. Margaret Katherine Benedict, 91, passed away on 30 December 2005 at the Discovery Care Center. She was born the oldest of two children of Jacob and Barbara Walcli Kunz on 15 April 1914 at the home of her uncle and aunt, David and Katie Swanson Kunz. She was a small girl when her parents divorced in Dillon, Montana. Her mother then married Hatsuji "Mori" Morikawa and they moved to Salmon. Attending school and growing up in Salmon, Margaret was into sports, especially swimming. She spent many hours with her friends in the Salmon River. During periods of high water Margaret and her friends would ride on logs floating down river to Carmen. She attended high school at St. Mary's Academy, a private Catholic School in Deer Lodge, Montana. Since she attended school in Montana, she needed a car. Margaret fondly remembers the tan and orange Whippet she drove around in. The great thing about those good old days is you didn't even need a driver's license, you just had to be big enough to see over the steering wheel. After high school, she lived in Dillon for a time. She worked at a store called The Sugar Bowl as cashier and soda jerk. She married Kenneth Swift in Butte, Montana on 15 August 1931 and to this union two daughters were born; Mitzi and Eileen. They lived in Salmon where Kenneth owned various night clubs. After Margaret's divorce from Kenneth, she moved to Alaska to work on the military base. In Alaska, Margaret met and married Oliver "Alex" Preiss on 15 October 1947 and to this union two children were born; Mori Ann and Oliver. Oliver was a professional bowler and painter. They later divorced and Margaret returned to Salmon where she met and married Russell Levi Benedict on 29 May 1959. For many years they ranched about 50 miles southeast of Salmon near Leadore and raised Black Angus cattle. They also had a ranch on Slate Creek in Custer County. AFter retiring in 1965, Russell and Margaret moved to Salmon and lived in the former home of the wife of Governor George Shoup, the first Governor of Idaho. Margaret has been very active in this community for many years and was a member of the St. Charles Catholic Church, Elk's Auxiliary, Eagle's Auxiliary and the American Legion War Mothers' auxiliary. She is survived by her children; Mitzi (Florin) Beller of Salmon, Eileen (Jim) Dunbar of Spokane, Washington, Mori Ann Preiss and Oliver "Bo" Benedict, both of Salmon; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchildren. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; husbands; Kenneth Swift, Oliver Preiss and Russell Benedict and a brother Harold Kunz. Jones & Casey Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.