Lucille Evans

Only days after celebrating her 80th birthday surrounded bye family members, Lucille Evans passed away peacefully at a local hospital on Oct. 25, 2004 to be with her Lord.

Her illness had been brief. Lucille, a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, was born Oct. 16, 1924, in Polson. She grew up in the Bigfork area with her parents, Frederick James and Bernice Mae Butterfield, and seven siblings, Lois, Francis, Fred, Helen, Dorothy, Connie and Mary Jane. After graduation from Bigfork High School in 1942, she and here sister Francis moved to San Diego to join the war effort. For two years, they worked at a factory turning out World War 11 aircraft. While in San Diego, she met a young career Navy man from Tennessee, Herman Buford 'Skinner' Evans. Their story is the stuff movies are made of. After one date, Skinner was sent to England on a tour of duty. They corresponded until his return, one year later. After their second date, they decided to marry on June 17, 1944. This past June, they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. After several tours of duty, Lucille and Skinner, with family in tow, settled down in Oxnard in 1956. While in Oxnard, Lucille worked as a data input operator at a local aerospace company until she decided to become, as she described herself, a 'home engineer,' watching over her three children, Joe, Sandi and Jan.

Lucille leaves her husband, Herman; children, Joe, Sandi and Jan, and their respective spouses, Pauline, Dave and Lance; sisters, Mary Jane and Dorothy; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Following Lucille's wishes to be cremated, a memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13 at the Conrad-Carroll Mortuary in Oxnard. Come spring, family members will join together to spread Lucille's ashes in Montana, a favorite place for Lucille.

In lieu of flowers, Lucille requested donations be made to the Cancer Society of your choice. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Conrad-Carroll Mortuary, (805) 487-4911.