Laeta E. (Lee) Evans, our dearly beloved mom, grandma and “Big Grandma” (great grandma) fell asleep in death on the morning of July 11, 2016. Lee was born in Bozeman on November 27, 1919, to Peyton Barnett and Berneice Bauer Barnett. She grew up in Ennis, Montana.
Lee married the love of her life, Gomer Evans, at the home of her parents in Ennis on April 6, 1940. Six years later they had their only child, Cherryl. The family then moved to Helena. Lee was a homemaker in her early years. She later began work for Mountain Bell Telephone Company, Sunset Memorial Gardens and USF&G. She sang with Sweet Adeline’s for several years and was a member of the American Business Women’s Association.
The family bought a boat and enjoyed spending time at the lake fishing and water skiing so they built a cabin on Canyon Ferry Lake. This cabin was built by the family in the garage of their home during the fall and early spring and then trailered to Canyon Ferry to be assembled. Lee and Gomer spent time collecting the river rock to build the beautiful fireplace. We spent many happy days there. Lee and Gomer also spent many beautiful days cutting firewood for their home and cabin. These were times they enjoyed so much!
Lee and Gomer loved to travel to California to visit family there and made many fun trips to Las Vegas to take in shows. They later loved to travel to Sioux Falls to visit their daughter and grandchildren. Gomer passed away September 10, 1978. Since Lee lived across the street, she was very active in helping to raise her grandchildren and always supported her daughter and grandchildren in their activities as they grew up. She traveled with her daughter and grandchildren on many fun trips to Salt Lake City and the Washington and Oregon Coasts not to mention all the fun weekend trips to areas in Montana.
Lee was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brothers Mervyn Barnett and Howard (Barney) Barnett and a sister, Loula Mae Waterman. She is survived by her daughter, Cherryl, of Helena, her grandchildren, Brett (Trishlynn) Evans of Bismarck, North Dakota, Bart (Herineida) Evans of Winston-Salem, North Carolina and Briana (Bryan) Ybarra of Helena. She is also survived by her treasured great grandchildren who for Great Grandma lovingly called her “Big Grandma” even though she was so tiny. The great grandchildren are: Ezra, Jonathan, Elijah and Amaya Rojas; and Londyn, Lamya and Peyton Evans. She is also survived by several nieces and nephew including special niece, Wendi Waterman.
The family would like to give special thanks to her wonderful and loving in-home caregiver, Luci Dutton; the great and wonderfully caring staff at Legacy Assisted Living and Celeste who was so kind and helpful at Frontier Healthcare and Hospice. Not only did Lee get great care but these kind and loving people also supported Lee’s family more than words can say.
A service celebrating Lee’s life will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, July 15th in the social hall at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. A graveside service will take place at 1:00 p.m. at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Memorial donations in Lee’s name may be made to the Lewis & Clark Humane Society, P.O. Box 4455, Helena, MT 59604. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Lee.
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