Five Valleys Memorial Society records, 1973-2013

Formed in 1973, the Five Valleys Burial-Memorial Association organized as a consumer information association involved in funeral arrangements in and around Missoula, Montana. The Association’s by-laws, adopted in 1974, outlined their primary purpose as “promot[ing] dignity, simplicity, and economy in funeral arrangements, and to encourage more concern for the living and more awareness of the life values of the deceased.” The Association met these aims through contracting lower rates for their members at area funeral homes and disseminating information regarding end-of-life preparations. In 1974, action taken by many members of the Association in support of House Joint Resolution 43 to eliminate an embalming requirement for all cadavers within 24 hours of death helped create an environment favorable to a memorial society. The 24 hour embalming requirement made it difficult for families to carry out preplanned funeral arrangements and the Association successfully supported HJR 43 to allow reasonable time to transport bodies and follow arrangement plans.

The Association was incorporated by the state of Montana on July 11, 1974, and operated as a tax-exempt, non-profit organization, approved by Montana and the federal government in July 1974, with an all-volunteer Board of Directors elected by the membership. An independently contracted “records secretary” maintained the day-to-day activities of the company, keeping the members’ information current, answering member questions, and maintaining Association bank records. The Association retained a modest membership through 1974, ending the year with 285 members, by 2012, the year of its dissolution, it had 1479 members. On October 6, 1997, an amendment to the Articles of Incorporation changed the name of the corporation to Five Valley’s Memorial Society (FVMS). FVMS held an annual meeting to update members on its activities and often invited guest speakers from various health care professions.

In March 2011, at the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors recommended the Society disband because of its inability to operate on its income. The Society’s initial expenses were covered by its one-time membership fee; however, as time passed the recruitment of new members slowed as did FVMS’ ability to negotiate for lower rates as area funeral homes consolidated. Members voted to disband at the March 2012 Annual Meeting and the Five Valleys Memorial Society applied for dissolution on May 29, 2012, which was approved and filed on June 13, 2012.