Sheri Rae (Lee) Evans, 67

Sheri Rae (Lee) Evans of Charlo was born April 26, 1954 in Missoula to John “Jack” and Berniece (Reynolds) Lee, the sixth of eight children. Sheri passed away Dec. 5, 2021.

As a child, she rescued every stray cat, dog or other living creature she found, and would carefully nurse them back to health. This compassion for all living things became the foundation of her personality, and she both adopted and healed everyone and everything she ever met who needed her.

Sheri started school in Seeley Lake and graduated from high school in Stevensville in 1971. Nursing was more than her occupation, it was her vocation, and she earned her nursing degree from St. Patrick’s School of Nursing in 1974. She delighted in it for the next 46.5 years, working at St. Luke’s Nursing Home, as a public health nurse for Lake County, as Charlo school nurse, and finally at the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge.

Sheri married Kenny Evans on June 21, 1975. They spent the next several years raising their beloved daughters, Jessica and Jamie. Shortly after dividing their homes, Jenna was added to their family, and together they raised the girls in love.

They remained the best of friends, and upon Kenny’s death Sheri became passionate about raising awareness of AIDS. In her typically unselfish way, she dedicated herself to saving lives through AIDS education throughout the state of Montana and was blanketed by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes for her dedication to AIDS awareness in recognition of her tireless dedication to saving lives.

When she married Gerry Clark, his children, Pat, Holly, and Ben, became her children. Sheri’s heart was too big not to share her love with others, and she delighted in the additions of Jasmine, Winter, Isaac, Studebaker and Zoie to her family, her heart growing through love with the addition of each of her children. In more recent years, that love expanded as grandchildren and a great-grandchild were added, and she ensured that each of them knew how adored they were, making cookies with and for them to celebrate every milestone and mend every broken heart. Literally and figuratively, she adopted everyone she ever met into her family, and it grew to include her true soulmate, Ray Vencill. Her joys included spending time with him and with her family and friends, breeding dogs and gardening.

Sheri was preceded in death by her late husband, Kenny Evans; her parents, Jack and Berniece Lee; sisters Gayle Franklin, Beverly Steele and Tami Armijo; brother Morgan Lee; grandparents Oscar and Mary Lee and Curtis and Ida Reynolds; honorary parents Bob and Deloris Woodruff; parents-in-law Ray and Marie Evans, Wiletta Bocksnick; along with many special people she cared for during the past 46 years. Each one became a member of her extended family.

She is survived by her children, Jessica Nordwick (Quinn), Jamie Bauer (Nathan), Jenna Corcoran (Corey), Pat Clark, Holly Fox, Ben Clark, Jasmine Clark (Matt), Winter Clark, Isaac Clark, Zoie Morgan and Studebaker Hunter; her soulmate, Ray Vencill; grandchildren Zane, Alyssa, Talon, Paije, Sidney, Londyn Brystol, Cash, Cruz, Diamond, Cannon, Henley; great-grandson Oakley, with whom she was delighted to share a birthday; as well as her brothers, David (Joanne) and Harris; sister Teri (Gary); sisters-in-law Wanda (Dave) Fike and Gail Sinclair; and her closest friend, Marie (Clay) Hopper.

Sheri’s unending generosity of spirit was reflected in the family’s decision to give the gift of organs to those in need, and the family wishes to support LifeCenter Northwest, the organ donation organization, through contributions in her name for those who wish to honor her in that manner at: LifeCenter Northwest, 3650 131st Ave. SE, Ste 200, Bellevue, WA 98006. Please include your name, address and “In Memory of Sheri Evans.”

A funeral service was held Monday, Dec. 13 at Terrace Lake Community Church. Burial will take place at Krantz Family Cemetery. Messages of condolences may be shared with the family online at www.lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com.

Arrangements are under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.