Evelyn Johnston

Evelyn Johnston passed peacefully on May 31, 2010 in Puyallup, Wash., with her two sons in loving attendance.

Evelyn Mae Wiedenhamer was born in Havre, on Aug. 23, 1921 to Andrew and Mabel Wiedenhamer. After her husband Andrew died, Mabel married Gilbert Speer and the family moved to the Flathead Valley. Gilbert was a most caring husband and beloved father to Mabel and her four children. The Speers added three more children to their family while living in Columbia Falls.

After high school graduation, Evelyn was attending a dance at Deer Park School where she met Calvin Preston Johnston. They married on April 12, 1941. They moved to Southern California where Calvin found employment at an aircraft factory in Los Angeles. He and Evelyn were living in Englewood, Calif., when their first son, Gary was born in 1942. After Calvin’s military service in World War II the family returned to the Flathead Valley where their second son, Lindsay was born in 1948.

The family moved to Campbell, Calif., in 1957 where Evelyn enjoyed her role of homemaker, seamstress and gardener. She always took pride in the lovely flower gardens that surrounded her home. Calvin and Evelyn lived in Boulder, Colo., from 1966 to 1977 where Evelyn continued her gardening and sewing as well as working as a dedicated Red Cross volunteer at Boulder Hospital. The couple retired in 1977 and returned to the Flathead where they enjoyed many years of living on their 10-acre farm and traveling in their motorhome during winter months.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, Calvin; her mother, Mabel Speer; step-father Gilbert Speer; brothers Roy Speer of Lewiston, Idaho, Alvin Speer of Kalispell, Hugh Spear of Columbia Falls; and sister Rena Cornell of Columbia Falls.

She is survived by her two sons; four grandchildren (Erin, Jane, Allison Anne, and Kirk); brother Evan (Shirley) Speer of Columbia Falls; sister Jeanette (Mel) DeCarrico of Portland, Ore.; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services were at Columbia Mortuary Friday, June 11, 2010. Interment followed at Fairview cemetery where Evelyn once again joined Calvin, her loving husband of 62 years.