Mary “M’Lis” Eaton Dahl
June 12, 1928-Sept. 8, 2025
Mary “M’Lis” Eaton Dahl came into this world singing on June 12, 1928, in Buffalo, New York. Her parents were Margaret “Orien” and Frank Eaton.
She moved to Bozeman in 1938 at the age of 10. Her family moved to South Black, directly across the street from the Dahl family. The Dahls had three handsome, mischievous boys, and M’Lis hoped that one of them would notice her.
M’Lis thrived in Bozeman. She had five horses, played sports, danced, sang and was part of the rifle club. Her lifelong best friends were the “dizzy dozen.” They were best friends from fourth grade until their 90s.
Her goal in life was to share her voice to give joy to others. She sang while she swept floors, did dishes, danced or prayed. M’Lis sang in choirs at Gallatin High in Bozeman and led sing-alongs and dance classes at the Elk Horn Dude Ranch, where she was also a great ranch hand and baseball player.
While working in Yellowstone Park in the ‘50s, M’Lis sang in bars and used the tips she earned to finance her college tuition and voice instruction. Michael Finnegan, M’Lis’s maternal grandfather in Spokane, set her up with a prestigious voice coach so she could perfect her craft and pursue her dream of being a professional singer.
She married Bernard Dahl on July 6, 1950. Bernard loved to take her to piano bars on Saturday nights. He was so proud of her.
Dahl was a choir director at Holy Rosary Church, and she enjoyed singing for the Billings Symphony Choir, in musicals around town and for weddings and funerals. M’Lis shared her love, the power of her voice and her creativity to comfort and empower others.
M’Lis earned an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in religious studies from Gonzaga University, as well as a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from Eastern Montana College. At age 40, M’Lis began painting with oils and watercolors, and her beautiful paintings are displayed in her family’s homes. She became a chaplain at the age of 70 and worked at both St. Vincent’s and the women’s prison in Billings.
M’Lis and Bernard were lovingly cared for in their later years at home by the devotion of their family. Her faith, family, music and art were the fabric of her life.
M’Lis was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 67 years, John Bernard Dahl, her grandchildren Marion Stroebe and Simon Reinhart, her great-grandchildren Cash Taylor and Imogen Hutchison and her son-in-law Mike Cater.
M’Lis is survived by her children Mary Cater, Teresa Stroebe (Conrad), Ann Denise Dahl, Linda Reinhart (Dale), John Dahl (Brenda), Anita Jones (Reese), Irene Dahl (Mark Peterson) and Deana Dahl (Dave Wendell), her brother Mike Eaton, her sister Evie Nelson and 24 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, nieces and nephew, and one great-great-grandchild.
The family is deeply grateful to the entire team at Riverstone Hospice, including Linda, Corey, Jessica, the Michelles, Corrine, Manny, Kristy and McKenzie.
Memorials may be made in her name to St. Vincent de Paul (3005 1st Ave. S., Billings, MT 59101), Alice Kane Dahl Nursing Scholarship Foundation (PO Box 172750, Bozeman, MT 59717) or Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter (1549 E. Cameron Bridge Rd., Bozeman, MT 59718).
A vigil service was held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, at Dahl Funeral Chapel in Billings. A funeral mass was held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Billings. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Bozeman.
