Astrid Marie Crichton, age 83, died early on the morning of October 9th 2025 at Touchmark in Helena Montana of neurodegeneration, Alzheimer's disease and its complications.

She was born Astrid Marie Bratlie, on July 8, 1942 in Minot, North Dakota to Otto M. Bratlie, a Lutheran pastor and Glenice a nurse. The family moved about to where the Reverend, Mr. Bratlie, was the pastor of several small-town churches, until they finally settled permanently in Moorhead MN where Pastor Bratlie taught at Concordia College. There were nine siblings, Astrid, Kirsten, Solveig, David, Mark, Margaret, Karin, Steven, and Maren. All nine got bachelor's degrees or higher. While Glenice raised the nine children, somehow, she worked as a nurse, night shifts at St. Ansgar Hospital.

While getting her degree in Chemistry at Concordia College, Astrid played flute and piccolo in the band. She then met Jim Crichton at the University of North Dakota Medical School when she was earning a Master's degree in microbiology. They were married in June of 1966. After 12 major moves for more medical training and military service, including deployment to Panama, the family, then Jim, Astrid, Dan, Rolf, and Helsi settled in Helena the third week of July, 1974. Jim joined a medical practice with Doctors Burgess, Bossler, Little, and Faust Alvarez. Astrid's work in raising a family, taking care of business, and all of the other household tasks made it possible for Jim to pursue a practice that is no longer possible in Helena. Hence, both had rewarding lives. Astrid, with her background Master's Degree, took a yearlong course in Butte, to be certified as a laboratory technologist. She worked in medical laboratories then until retirement. Astrid had many friends and many, including employees at Cooney Rehab and Touchmark said that she was a "sweet lady".  Jim and Astrid's personalities were different, but complementary.

During her time at St Peters Hospital, Cooney Rehabilitation, and Touchmark, Astrid was visited by many friends and family on a daily basis. Toward the end as she entered a final coma, many visited and she was held in the same arms that held her tightly so many years ago.

Astrid is survived by her children Dan, Rolf, and Helsi, and husband, Jim. Three of her younger siblings, Solveig, Mark, and Margaret have already passed due to Alzheimer's Disease. She is also survived by six grandchildren and one great grandson. With them, she had a close relationship and interacted frequently with them through visits and phone calls, even close to the end.

Much has been written in recent years about the causes and aggravating factors that result in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and the others. It is now feasible to pursue early diagnosis and other efforts that can improve or mitigate the deadly progress of neurodegeneration. Anyone worried about this should search for a physician or other practitioner who knows about this recent work.