Mary Hovland Jenni

Mary Hovland Jenni, 91, beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, passed away in Missoula Montana on July 18, 2026. She was born on July 10, 1935 in Watertown South Dakota to Mary (Hicks) and Iver Hovland. Oh, the changes she saw! She grew up on a farm: heating with coal, using the well for refrigeration, and reading by candle light. She died in her home with all its modern conveniences, exactly where she wanted to be.

 

She raised four incredibly lucky children: Robert (Lynn), Bill, Karen (Mark Fitzgerald), and Tom (MC), and she welcomed their partners into her heart and her family immediately upon meeting them. She was delighted to become a grandmother, and poured love into Ellie, Ruby, and Mary Rose. They will always remember their Fridays at Grandma's. She was a loving aunt to her brother’s children and their families: Tom (JoAnn) Hovland, Mike (Deanna) Hovland, Marie (Dennis Breske), and Kathleen Hovland, who describe her as “a towering presence, in her own pleasant way.” She was blessed at the end of her life with a great friendship with her caregiver Jordan, who insists the blessing went the other way.

 

Mary had a lifelong love of learning - she started her formal education by walking with her brother Jim from the family farm to the one-room schoolhouse two miles away. No matter how cold it was (and boy was it cold), they went. Waubay High School was followed by Northern State Teachers College and a double major in math and piano, then an advanced degree in math education, and later by a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She served the Missoula community as a practicing therapist for almost 40 years, continuing to learn from and with her clients and colleagues. She attended many APA conferences and continuing ed courses and greatly appreciated her supervision group and the years with the psychoanalytic study group.

 

Lest you think it was all work, Mary had a spark and a spicy side. She met Don Jenni in 1954 and married him a year later. They shared 27 years of adventure, from Utah to Florida to Illinois, and an overseas stint in Holland before arriving in Missoula and sinking in their roots. They took a break to drive the VW bus around north and central America in the mid-70's, three kids in tow, and later spent a year in Seattle when she did her clinical internship.

 

When she first arrived in Missoula, she told herself “This is the place, it is time to learn to ski!” So she taught herself and all of her children what became a lifelong passion. When asked what she liked about skiing her immediate enthusiastic response was “the SPEED!” Her many friends will attest that she considered herself, rightfully, to be a party animal, and was always ready to gather, to go out, and to enjoy being with family and friends. For a woman who didn’t want to be the center of attention, she sure instigated a lot of fun. Whether in ski boots or sparkly pants and high heels.

 

The family requests no flowers and asks only that you remember and honor Mary in whatever way feels right to you. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, August 9th on the 6th floor of the First Interstate Bank Building in downtown Missoula (enter off Higgins Ave). Gather, hear and share stories with each other any time between 3 and 5 pm. Brief remarks from the family at 3:30 pm.

 

Mom always said that her greatest accomplishment was her four children. We'd like to argue the point, but that would be rude and she raised us better than that. So we will leave her with that as the last word as we continue to try to live up to her beautiful example of how to live a life full of love.