Leo Bruce Evans passed away at 5:15 a.m. on Feb. 3, 2011, at the Montana Veteran's Home in Columbia Falls.  He was a beloved son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle cousin, friend and mentor.

Leo was born in Butte on Jan. 16, 1924 to Troy and Leone Evans and spent his childhood sharing adventures with his many “Evans” cousins and friends. 

Leo started working when he was eight selling magazines door to door: Life, Ladies’ Home Journal and the Gentleman's Quarterly. He was a common sight riding his bike with a pack of friendly dogs at his side and amusingly recounted that the Gentleman's Quarterly was a hard sell in Butte during the 1930s. Leo's Dad, Troy, was a well respected boxing coach and he and his older brother, Jay, were prize students, although Leo enjoyed the outdoors more. He enjoyed fishing and was an award-winning speed skater.  He started his lifelong love with downhill skiing on a pair of skis fashioned in wood shop, probably with staves from a whiskey barrel. Driving back from an ice cream cone “run” to Anaconda in 1941, he and his childhood friend Lona Lee Hoyem heard the radio announcement from President Roosevelt that Pearl Harbor had been bombed.

Leo finished High School, joined the Army in 1942 and went on active duty in 1943. After fighter pilot training he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. Then, as Lona Lee told it, “He found me at my high school locker, pinned his wings on my sweater and strode off to war; I never thought I'd see him again.”  Leo finished advanced training in Hawaii and was sent with the 78th fighter Squadron to a forsaken little Pacific Island called Iwo Jima; he was 19 years old. The island was not secure and the pilots endured night raids involving hand to hand combat with the ensconced Japanese. Flying the fabled P51 Mustang, named “Wee Lona Lee,” as the commander's wingman, Leo flew the first and last flight over Japan and dozens in between. He was awarded the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Pacific Ribbon with two Bronze Stars, American Theater Ribbon, Victory Medal and obtained the rank of 1st Lieutenant.

 He returned to Butte and married Lona Lee Hoyem in October 1945. They had nine children and lost one, Lona Lee, in infancy. Nothing was more important to them than their children, those “Evans Kids” who they successfully guided into adulthood and their own stories.

Their move to Kalispell in 1956 began a 50-year legacy of contribution and service to the Flathead Valley. Leo was active in service and community clubs and spent many years as a salesman of office equipment and real estate but will be most fondly remembered for the iconic “Leo's Lazy Lion” Drive-In.  During the 20-plus years of “Leo's,” he and Lona Lee mentored countless young women and created memories that still bring nostalgic looks to the face of anyone who ever ate or worked there. “I was a Leo's girl” is a proud claim to this day.

 Leo and Lona helped found the “Flathead Lake Protection Association” that continues its work to protect the quality of the water basin.

Leo's childhood love for skiing burned bright on Big Mountain, where for over 40 years any day skiing was a good day. Ever wonder how the run “Evans Heaven” was named? Now you know. He ensured he and his children always had ski passes by repairing the office equipment in trade. He was insatiably curious about how things worked and could fix anything — skills he taught his children. In his later days he remarked, “I taught a lot of kids how to do a lot of things.”

Leo was a charmingly happy man who seized every day as a gift and treated everyone he met with a dazzling smile, hand shake and sincere compliment —  his word was his bond. His children remember his mental challenges at the nightly dinner table, ice cream, pop corn, drive-in movies, countless trips to surrounding lakes for log rolling and rock skipping contests, hot dogs over a campfire, skating at Woodland Park and of course, skiing.

 He was known to spontaneously leap in the air, click his heels three times and yell, “Whoopee,” just happy to be alive. 

Leo was preceded in death by his parents; brother; and beloved wife of 65 years, Lona Lee, and their infant daughter, Lona Lee.

He is survived by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Lexie Mae Evans, Troy Evans and his wife, Heather McLarty, Cly F. Evans and his wife, Charlotte Streit and daughters, Grace and Emma, Jill Evans and her husband, John Owen and their children, Jennifer, Jessica and James and his wife, Michele and daughters, Emily and Ashley, Jay T.Evans, Todd D. Evans and his wife, Kanako Matsumoto and son, Shingo Evamoto, Katryn and her husband, David Perry and their children, Joshua, Ruth and Joseph, and Leo Bruce Evans Jr., and his wife, Dawn and their son, Jay.

Cremation has occurred and a celebration of Leo's life will occur later this summer.

Please send memorials to Flathead Lake Protection Association, P.O. Box 679, Lakeside, MT 59929.

Visit www.jgfuneralhome.com to view Leo's guest book and add your memories.