Carol Sue Mapston

Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Mapston family on their loss of Carol Sue Mapston.  Our thoughts and prayers are with this family during this tragic time.


ARLEE – Taken too soon from her loving family, Carol Sue Mapston, of Arlee, passed away Friday, May 24, 2013, in a tragic auto accident near her home.

Born July 22, 1940, in Missoula to Ralph and Ila Morin, Carol Sue spent most of her life in and around Arlee, overcoming polio and rheumatic fever as a child. Raised on a ranch in Valley Creek, she attended school in Arlee, graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Missoula in 1958 and attended Santa Monica City College in California for a brief time. Carol Sue dated Wes Mapston while in high school before Wes was drafted into the Army. Upon returning from the Army, Wes and Carol Sue were married March 23, 1959.

Carol Sue and Wes settled on a ranch south of Arlee in 1962, raising registered Angus cattle and a growing family. In 1970, Carol Sue went to work as a rural mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, where she remained for 30 years until she retired in 2000. With a limited amount of rodeo competition to her credit, she was a tireless supporter of Wes’ rodeo career and eventually that of her children. The entire family achieved great success in and out of the rodeo arena. Sons Gray and Ryan followed in their father’s footsteps as successful saddle bronc riders, with Ryan qualifying for the National Finals Rodeo and Gray winning the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Saddle Bronc Riding Championship. Daughter Amber was a successful intercollegiate barrel racer and became Miss Rodeo Montana and runner-up to Miss Rodeo America. Carol Sue was an avid seamstress, and the owner of Double Horseshoe Ranchwear, and she passed that talent onto her daughter.

Her friends and family want her to be remembered as a servant to her Lord and to those around her. Always ready with a hot meal, Carol Sue was a caregiver and delighted in spreading the Word of God through Bible studies with young and old alike. She touched the lives of many and took a special delight in spreading the Word of God in the Native American community, where she was so loved.

Carol Sue was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Jerry, Bob and Richard Morin; sister, Leslie Morin; and daughter, Raegan (1983). She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Wes; her children, Gray Mapston, Amber Mapston Schmutz (Randy) and Ryan Mapston (Darcy); seven grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sister, Barbara Wilburn; and several cousins.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, at the Arlee High School gymnasium, where a potluck reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carol Sue’s name to Aglow Ministries at montanaaglow.org or Aglow International, c/o Linda Schuff, P.O. Box 1054 Condon, MT 59826.

Condolences may be left at fosterfhandcrematory.com.