Meet the Seniors Waiting for a Friend!
Right now, 32 older adults in our community are hoping for someone to share a warm cup of coffee, swap stories, and laugh with. They’re veterans, gardeners, retired teachers, musicians, nature lovers, and lifelong Montanans. What they all have in common is the desire for connection, and the wait can feel lonely.
This winter, as the snow falls and the days grow shorter, you can brighten someone’s world with your time and kindness.
Connection is the best kind of warmth.
Scroll to the bottom for Seniors Outside of Bozeman and Belgrade
Bonnie M, 82 years old
Lives in Belgrade along the Frontage Rd. Bonnie is in the house most of the time. She lives with her son and needs more support with her bedroom chores. Bonnie has had Befrienders in the past couple of years; they have moved away but keep in touch with her weekly. Her last Befriender would spend 3-5 hours a week taking Bonnie to Walmart, the mall, out to eat, and other things Bonnie liked to do. Bonnie is lovely, she appreciates her befrienders and that they take the time to volunteer out of the goodness of their hearts. She feels lucky to have found such great friends and is excited for her next friend! She is hoping for someone to help her put her laundry away. She folds them but can’t put them in the closet, and she also hopes they would want to sit and talk with her, too. Special Considerations: bad left leg, and arthritis. She uses a wheelchair to get around. Would possibly want an older volunteer, but not too picky.
Mark G, Male, 63 years old
Mark retired 8 years ago and moved to Montana. He has two daughters and two sons. He enjoys fishing, hunting, and being outdoors. Mark had a stroke 3 years ago, and he now lives at an assisted living facility in Bozeman, near the hospital. He is unable to do the things he loves outdoors, and a Befriender who wants to go outside, maybe go fishing, and keep him social! He is significantly younger than the other resident,s so having someone younger to talk to would benefit Mark as well. Mark can be very pessimistic at times due to his stroke, but it is easy to banter back with him. Someone who is encouraging and positive would make a great Befriender. Special considerations: Mark had a stroke three years ago. Before his stroke, Mark struggled with alcoholism, so it’s important that if someone takes him out, they avoid places that serve alcohol.
Rich F, Male, 64 years old
Rich recently moved into a memory care off Oak St. This is a new adjustment for him, and he has had a very active lifestyle his entire life. He was a wildlife biologist and loves being in nature, whether it’s a drive up to Hyalite or bird watching at Story Mill. He is very kind, calm, and active. Someone to hike with, enjoy MT scenery, possibly cross-country ski in the winter, or go on coffee outings. Rich doesn’t know what to expect from a Befriender volunteer, but someone who can pick him up and help him enjoy the outdoors again. With consistency and a new friend, Rich could get a lot out of this experience. Rich has someone through a paid service who, once a week, picks him up, and they go on hikes around Bozeman. He is very comfortable on inclines and often hikes Drinking Horse. Special Consideration: Alzheimer's.
Joyce S, 77 years old
Joyce lives by Hyalite Canyon. She lives with her husband and their dog. Joyce spends a lot of time alone watching TV and needs more engagement. Joyce used to be an avid sewer, quilter, crafter, and loves to be outside. Joyce had a stroke in 2018, which affected her memory, and in the last year, she has lost a lot of her independence. Joyce would like to get back into crafting, sewing, or quilting with the help of a Befriender. She is still very mobile and would love to go for a walk or out into the community, so a mix of both; hanging out at her house as well as being active. Joyce doesn’t know what to expect from a Befriender, but she loves connection and is open to meeting someone who can reteach her some old hobbies or learn together again. Special consideration: mild cognitive impairment due to a stroke in 2018, along with early Alzheimer's.
Sonja B, 84 years old
Sonja lives alone in Belgrade; her neighbors, who were a big support system for her, moved to Ennis. She calls herself a horseaholic and has a huge passion for them, along with being a 4-H leader for 50 years. Sonja said she is lonely because she is no longer able to drive. She would like to run errands with her befriender and keep socializing with people. She enjoys community activities, telling life stories, and leaving the house. Sonja said her house is hard to get into, so she prefers to meet outside for outings. Sonja is very social and enjoys human connection. She has a Befriender who is leaving in October. Sonja doesn’t have family, and her current Befriender has made a huge difference in her life. She feels grateful for her and has said it has changed her attitude on life completely, knowing she has a friend to count on. Special Consideration: She was recently diagnosed with dementia; she is still independent but no longer drives due to high blood pressure.
Janne H, 83 years old
Janne lives in Bozeman near MSU. She raised her family on the Island of Kauai. Janne is a familiar face in the community. She’s active, curious, and passionate about the natural world. As a retired bookkeeper, Jan has dedicated much of her time to causes she cares about, especially environmental conservation and citizen science. She’s a proud member of the gardening club and regularly participates in birdwatching through the Sacagawea Audubon Society, something that brings her a lot of joy. Janne is someone who thrives on connection and staying engaged. She’s looking for a companion to spend time with, especially during the quieter winter months when it can be harder to get out and about. She loves being outdoors, learning new things, and having meaningful conversations. Jan has a sweet dog who loves people but isn’t fond of other dogs, so she would appreciate a friend who enjoys animals and doesn’t mind a one-dog household. She’s friendly, thoughtful, and has a deep appreciation for nature and community involvement. She may be spending part of the upcoming winter away from Bozeman, but she is eager to make connections when she’s in town. Special Consideration: Jan has macular degeneration, which is causing progressive vision loss, along with hearing loss in her right ear. She’s looking for a kind companion who shares her love of nature, learning, and community, and who can help make the winter months a little brighter.
Ralph S, Male, 85 years old
Ralph recently moved to Brookdale Spring Meadows. He was a research hydrologist for 35 years in the US Forest Service. Ralph was an avid skier and served on the Board of Directors for Bridger Bowl. Both of his adult children live in Bozeman and spend time with him. Ralph likes to stay active and would benefit from someone who would like to go for walks with him and his dog, Max (1-2 miles). He also attends Rock Steady boxing at the YMCA one of his sons lives in the Fall for the south. They are hoping a Befriender Volunteer could attend the class with him and be his corner person. His class is at 1:20, Monday and Wednesday. He also walks his dog at 10 am and 3 pm, if a volunteer can make any of these times work. This would involve simply assisting him to understand the exercises he needs to perform and spotting him while he does them. Special consideration: Ralph has Parkinson’s disease and diminished eyesight. He is very mobile but needs someone to accompany him if he goes on extended walks
Michael S, Male, 74 years old
Michael lives alone in Belgrade and would like more social connections. He is very kind and said he gets along with most people, especially motorheads. Michael graduated with a civil engineering degree from Washington State and started working as a carpenter. He has lived all around the U.S. throughout his life and came to Bozeman in the 80s. He started a construction company and enjoyed using his hands for work. Michael was a civil rights activist in the 60s. He would go down south with groups of people and help bring equality to the areas. His group would go into grocery stores that did not allow African Americans, and he would buy them groceries. He is very proud of his work in equal rights and still advocates for that today when he can. Michael was enthusiastic to make a new friend and have someone to talk to. Special consideration: Michael is very kind; he may do better with a male volunteer. His apartment was a bit unkempt and stuffy. Michael uses a wheelchair to get around and does not drive.
Andrew S, Male, 67 years old
Andrew lives near the Gallatin Fairgrounds. He is kind and insightful. Andrew has lived an isolated life due to being deaf in one ear; he had not realized until his 40s that he was living with a disability. Andrew worked in Asphalt for his career. He loved his job and still checks out the road to see how good a job they did. Andrew is from Illinois, and for 50 years, it has been his dream to move to MT. He loves camping, going for drives, and one-on-one conversations. He is able to hear one person in a quiet environment. 2 is company, 3 is a crowd, he said. Special consideration: Andrew is deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the one, but can understand what someone is saying if they have a low projecting voice.
Nancy C, 78 years old
Nancy is Spanish-speaking only. She spends a lot of time at the Bozeman Senior Center, and she would like more people to talk to and make new connections in town. She lives with her daughter.
Jim J, Male, 80 years old
Jim lives near the Bozeman Airport. He is originally from Montana and moved to Bozeman for School. He graduated from MSU with a master's in Animal Science and worked in the Montana Extension Service for 34 years. He was a private pilot and would fly all around MT to avoid the long drives. He has two sons, and one lives in Columbus, MT. Jim is part of the Optimist club, Antique car club, and a member of Hope Lutheran Church. Jim does not enjoy talking about sports because that is all his grandson talks about, haha. Jim's sister lives on the other side of town, and they are very close. He no longer drives and needs someone to help him get out into the community and maintain his hobbies.
Nina S, 67 years old
Nina is a retired music teacher, children's choir director, and piano teacher. She loves music and animals. She is funny and sweet. Someone who possibly plays an instrument or would want to sing with Nina would be great! She lives with her husband between Bozeman and Belgrade. Her husband has a standing appointment from 10-11 every Tuesday and would love for Nina to have a visitor during this time. Special Considerations: Dementia
Bobbie M, 74 years old, Match in Progress
Bobbie lives in Four Corners and has two daughters. She worked at MSU in the residence halls and enjoyed her career a lot. She is excited to be in Befrienders and make a new friend. She is into health alternatives. Bobbie is sensitive to strong smells, so strong perfume gives her headaches. Special Considerations: Hip surgery recovery, cataract surgery, and slight hearing loss.
Melvin P, Male, 85 years old Match in Progress
Melvin lives in Belgrade. He was a teacher and a pilot. He used to love rafting and also truck driving. Melvin enjoys going to the Belgrade Senior Center and being around people. His hobbies are News, taking short walks, airplanes, autos, word search, sudoku, telling stories, and jokes. He is a huge Denver Broncos fan and is from Colorado. He said he felt lonely, so his daughter found Befrienders! Special Considerations: Recovering from radiation therapy.
Grace N, 83 years old
Grace raised 4 children and ran an organic cattle ranch in California. She has lived in an apartment at her daughter’s home in Bozeman for the past 20 years and is moving in with her son and daughter-in-law in a few weeks. Grace used to be a ballroom dancer and an avid gardener. She is salty but proper and does not care for idle conversation. She loves discussing the use of words in the English language. She is mostly homebound and would love a Befriender to spend time talking about life and making a new friend. Special Consideration: Hearing so talk loudly and using a wheelchair.
Pat V, 86 years old
Pat lives in Belgrade with her husband; she is originally from Shelby, MT. She has 3 daughters and worked in hospitals and then in food services at a school. Pat used to love to garden, cook, and quilt. She is housebound now and needs more support; her husband has early dementia, and he leaves every day and returns after she is asleep. Most days, she does not see anyone. She would enjoy someone visiting her each week because she spends a lot of time alone. Special Considerations: Housebound and unsteady walking.
Jeanette A, 87 years old
Jeanette lives in Belgrade and has been in Montana for 20+ years. She moved here from Ohio. She lives alone and feels lonely, and she misses having a friend to talk to. She is very social and often drives herself to Costco to get some socializing in. Jeanette was a senior companion herself and loves serving others. She is a Christian, Jan loves reading her bible, and used to lead a bible study group. She enjoys sewing, helping others, and adores her cat! Jan doesn’t have a TV because she doesn't need one, but likes to surf the web for interesting or funny things, anything that keeps her busy, she enjoys. Special Considerations: Cognitive decline.
Sheryl B, 68 years old, Match in Progress
Sheryl lives near the Loaf' n Jug on Main. She is originally from Nebraska and grew up on a farm. She is a big Chiefs fan, and her Sundays are for football. Sheryl never had any children and is hoping for a Befriender who will help her organize her home. She needs to go through old paperwork and throw it away, wants to get rid of a bunch of clothes, and help put her sheets on her bed (she does everything else but can’t get the sheets on her bed). Sheryl loves friends with a raunchy and quirky sense of humor; she loves to laugh at ridiculous things. She would enjoy grabbing an occasional meal somewhere that is not expensive. Special Considerations: CPAP, on oxygen, mobility sometimes limited. Still drives.
Mike C, Male, 78 years old
Mike is very sweet. He has some disabilities that limit his ability to get out, make new friends, and spend much of his time alone. He lives with his wife and their son near MSU, and he enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with his dogs are very important to him. He also enjoys sports and loves going camping in his camper. Mike is considered deaf and uses hearing aids, but can’t always comprehend what people are saying, so he uses creative listening to understand people. Mike is friendly and enjoys talking about life. He used to do a lot of woodwork and went to school for Philosophy. He would enjoy making a friend he can go to community events with, spend time talking with, and make new connections. Special consideration: Has aches and pains which limit his ability to be active for long periods, and is deaf, so it is hard to hear people when talking, but he uses creative listening to understand what is being said. When our staff met him, he picked up on everything we were saying.
Lydia S, 82 years old
Lydia lives in Belgrade and was a befriender volunteer in the past; her husband also was a Befriender volunteer. She lives alone and tries to stay active in her community. She was a hairdresser for many years. Lydia still drives but she doesn’t drive into Bozeman anymore due to all of the traffic. Lydia is hoping her Befriender will accompany her to Bozeman and also have someone in the area so she knows she’s not alone. Her daughter lives in Oregon and needs more social support. She is looking forward to getting a Befriender and someone that she can rely on as she starts to get older. Special consideration: Heart attack last year.\
Keith P, Male, 82 years old
Keith lives near Four Corners and has 2 kids. He was in the Army and is a retired airline employee as well. Keith is originally from Wyoming and decided to move to Montana for work. Keith is also a volunteer at the History Museum and the Ellen Theatre. He loves traveling and uses stained glass panels. He would like a friend he can rely on when his vision goes away, he likes to be active in the community, and he is very easy to get along with. Special Considerations: Keith has macular degeneration and may lose his license soon. He is interested in a befriender who can bring him around so he can remain involved in the community. Although he is fairly mobile sometimes he does get dizzy.
Betty S, 85 years old
Betty lives near the Gallatin Dog Park. She recently moved here to be close to her son and left her long-time family and friends back home in Northern Minnesota. Betty’s husband passed away, and she expressed feeling lonely. It has been hard for her to make new connections. She would enjoy having a Befriender who could take her for scenic drives, coffee or lunch dates, and share about her family life. Special consideration: Betty is able to ambulate using a cane, Hard of hearing.
Janet W, 91 years old
Seniors in Livingston, Manhattan, Three Forks, Whitehall, & Big Sky
Mildred (Mitzi) B., Livingston, 92 years old
Mitzi moved here from Maryland a few months ago. She moved to Montana to live with her granddaughter. Mitzi was the primary caregiver for her husband for 50 years, who was a paraplegic. Mitzi loves to bake, play games, do puzzles, and talk about life and happy times. Mitzi is a wonderful human who loves to talk and share stories. Her granddaughter works through the week, and Mitzi would benefit from having a friend to spend time with during the daytime. Special Considerations: Uses a cane, mild cognitive impairment.
Jeffrey K, Male, Norris Rd, 70 years old
Jeffrey lives on the Madison River with his wife, and his main hobby in life is working. His wife ran the little farm they live on while Jeffrey worked full-time. Jeffrey’s wife needs a friend for him so she can leave a few hours a week because she is overwhelmed with being with him 24/7. Jeffrey is social, but his understanding has been declining. A friend to spend time with Jeffrey, going for walks or playing games. Special Considerations: Foot surgery and cognitive impairment.
Carol G, 84 years old, Whitehall
Carol lives in Whitehall and needs a Befriender. If there is someone who lives near or knows of someone in Whitehall who would like to be a befriender, spread the word! Carol is very sweet, she has a great sense of humor, and she grew up in New Jersey. She enjoys knitting, crocheting, sewing, needlepoint, lunch, going shopping, cards, and genuine company. She is always up for an adventure, whether it’s grabbing lunch or a drive around town. Special Considerations: Carol uses a walker and is very independent when navigating her mobility. She has some short-term memory with certain events, but can recall the bigger picture.
Diane M, Livingston, 67 years old
Diane lives in Livingston. She is a silent movie enthusiast and also loves music. She has one son and recently had a stroke, which has limited her mobility. She is hoping to make a new friend to have someone to talk to, she feels lonely and misses connection. Special Considerations: Limited mobility, uses a walker due to a stroke.
Arleen M, Livingston, 61 years old
Arleen lives in Livingston and is in need of support; she lacks resources and has been disabled for 30 years. Someone who could support Arleen and assist with her tasks, such as organizing, small tasks, snow shoveling, grocery shopping, and seasonal tasks. She also may need help with technology because it does overwhelm her. Special Considerations: Chronic pain, she has anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Also immune-compromised.
Debra S, Three Forks, 71years old
Debra lives in Three Forks and spends a lot of time alone. She needs more friends and would like someone to talk to. Her spirits have been low, and she knows that social interaction could help with that. Debra enjoys watching TV, playing games, and loves dogs! She is now mostly homebound and no longer drives. She has a Befriender and they have been matched for 2 years, but now that Debra’s health has changed, she needs a friend to visit her at her house. She’s excited to meet her Befriender and is looking forward to more social interaction with a new friend! Special Considerations: Homebound and oxygen.
Edmund Z, Male, Manhattan, 88 years old
Arlene G, Big Sky, 80 years old
Last edited: 12/2/25
