Beverly Ann Evenson, 83, of Spearfish, SD, passed away Monday, July 7, 2025, at Avantara Mountain View Healthcare Center.
Visitation for Beverly will be held Monday, July 14, at Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis, SD, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be Tuesday, July 15, at 1:30 p.m. at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Spearfish. Interment will follow at Rosehill Cemetery in Spearfish.
Beverly A. was born in Leola, SD. As a young girl, her family moved to a farm there, where she was raised with five younger brothers. Her mom and dad ran the farm while Bev looked after the younger boys. In 1950, the family moved to Lead, SD, where she attended St. Patrick’s Catholic School through 8th grade.
Bev later met Wayne Russell Evenson, and they were married on October 15, 1959, in Lead. Together, they had four children, all raised in Lead. Around the same time, Bev’s parents added three more children to their family, making nine in total.
While Wayne worked at Homestake Gold Mine, Bev held various jobs in the Lead-Deadwood area, including waitressing at the Stop & Shop and later at the Hilltop Restaurant. During the 1970s, Wayne and Bev operated a bowling alley in Lead beneath the Lead Opera House, which they ran for many years. In the early 1980s, she began working at the Holiday Inn in Spearfish, where she became head housekeeper. Bev excelled at her work and later took a position at Black Hills State College, where she worked for many years before retiring. Not quite ready to slow down, Bev then took a job cleaning at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Spearfish, continuing there until she was around 68 years old.
In 1987, Wayne and Bev began building their retirement home near the Spearfish Airport. Tragically, that same year, while the home was under construction, Wayne passed away. Bev carried on with building the home, where she lived for nearly 40 years, working odd jobs to help pay it off. She worked hard her entire life and accomplished the goals she set for herself.
Beverly loved gardening and canning. She was an expert candy-maker during the holidays and was known as the best Kaseknephla (Cheese Button Soup) maker in the family. She enjoyed snowmobiling into her 70s and camping at Roubaix Lake. Bev also loved watching Wayne and their children participate in various sports. She was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Lead.
Beverly was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Katherine Geffre; her husband, Wayne Evenson; brothers, Laverne and Jerome Geffre; sister-in-law, Candy Geffre; and nephew, Ricky Geffre.
Survivors include her children: Russell (Julie) Evenson, Herbert (Luis) Evenson, Char (Bud) Evenson Wright, and Rosemary (Phyllis) Evenson; two grandchildren, Tyler (Danielle) Evenson and Luke Evenson; and three great-grandchildren: Brycen, Brevin, and Brayleigh. She is also survived by siblings: Patty Geffre (Jerome’s wife), Les (Rhonda) Geffre, Duane (Denise) Geffre, Martin (Beckie) Geffre, Mary (Charlie) Lapka, Theresa (Jerry) Hinker, and Marcella (Donny) Larsen; as well as many nieces and nephews.
