MILES CITY — After the death of a Miles City woman, her family is turning grief into generosity, honoring her memory by giving away her decades-long collection of more than 300 teddy bears to children and organizations across Montana.

See why a Montana family is donating a massive teddy bear collection: Legacy of Montana woman honored through donation of 300-plus teddy bears

When Alan Ballensky walks downstairs into the basement of his Miles City home, he’s met by hundreds of soft faces staring back at him.

For decades, a massive collection of an estimated 300 teddy bears belonged to his wife, Jan, who began collecting them in the 1980s after a memorable bear encounter the couple had in Yellowstone National Park years earlier.

“Anything that had a bear on it, it was fair game for he

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