Betty J. Evans

Betty Jane Evans, age 94, of Tenino WA, passed away peacefully on September 2, 2018 after days spent surrounded by loving family and friends. As Betty’s life drew to a close her family found great joy in serving someone who had spent so much of her life in the service of others.

Betty was born October 2, 1923, in Garfield Salt Lake County UT, to Henry & Hazel Kraus. As a child she moved to Washington where she lived in a log cabin on the Tenino prairie. She later attended Tenino High School where she met the love of her life Tom Evans during her senior year. They were married on Valentine’s Day 1942 and spent 73 years working side by side on the family farm.

During World War II and prior to starting a family, Betty worked in the Tacoma shipyards as one of America’s “Rosie Riveters”. Later, in addition to raising their four children, Betty also got a job at DSHS as a keypunch operator to buy a new kitchen sink. Twenty-five years later she retired from the State as a supervisor for that same department.

From the time they took over the farm from Tom’s parents, Betty worked tirelessly to make sure all who came through the door were welcome and well fed. Her friends, family and neighbors will all remember the love emanating from her home and the warm smells coming from her oven. Her kitchen table was always full of food and conversation.

Betty was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She loved the gospel and spent many years volunteering, first in the youth programs and later as a leader in the Women’s Relief Society.

In her free time, Betty enjoyed reading, crafts, genealogy, gardening and canning. Her yard was filled with dahlias, iris and gladiolus, and the garden was full of berries, grapes and vegetables. She spent each fall canning and especially loved when her children and grandchildren came to help.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Henry & Hazel Kraus, her husband, Thomas D. Evans, son, David John Evans, son-in-law, Clayton Burkhart, and two great grandsons, Isaac Scott Evans & Gabriel Johnson Bippert. She is survived by her children, Sandra Irene (Wesley) McClaflin, Linda Rae Burkhart, Patti Jo (Robert) Bippert, Thomas David (Judith) Evans, 15 grandchildren, 54 great-grandchildren, and 27 great-great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held Saturday the 15th of September at 1:00 in the afternoon, at Mills and Mills Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 5725 Littlerock Road SW, Tumwater. Family and friends are invited to a reception immediately following at the Evans Farm, 3211 143rd Avenue SW, Tenino.