Susan “Sue” Buckingham Evans passed away on her 86th birthday, May 17, 2025, after having been admitted earlier that day to the Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, MT.
Sue Evans was born in White Sulphur Springs, Montana on May 17, 1939. She was the second child of Theresa and Fred Buckingham. Growing up, she spent her summers reading books, playing with her four siblings, and riding her pony at the family’s Luppold Ranch outside of White Sulphur Springs.
Sue graduated high school in 1957 and attended her first year of college at St. Catherines, Saint Paul, Minnesota, majoring in art. The following year, she transferred to Montana State College and enrolled in Elementary Education. She joined the Kappa Delta sorority as well as the Neumann Club. It was at the Neumann Club that she met her future husband, Jerry Evans. They dated throughout her junior year upon which time Jerry graduated. They were married shortly after her college graduation in 1961 and moved to Chicago where she was a teacher while Jerry finished his tour of duty in the US Army.
In 1962, Sue and Jerry moved to the Surprise Creek ranch outside of Stanford, MT. It was while at Surprise Creek that her first two sons were born. In 1966, they moved to the Cobb ranch a mile south of Geyser, MT where they raised the rest of their family.
Sue loved her family, art, community and travel. Outside of her family, the Geyser Art Club was undoubtedly the thing in her life that brought her purpose and joy. Sue was also involved in the St Cyril’s Alter Society, the local Republican Women’s Club, the Geyser School Board, the Lucky Clover 4-H Club, and the Cub Scouts. She annually administered the Andrew Evans scholarship fund.
She enjoyed traveling both abroad and near. Many summer vacation memories were made in the neighboring Canadian provinces and our National Parks. Some of her best family adventures were even closer to home hiking Old Baldy mountain, XC skiing O’Brien Creek, and canoeing the Missouri River.
Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Theresa Buckingham, her sister, Peggy Jesperson, her brother, Rick Buckingham, and her grandson, Andrew Evans. She is survived by her husband, Jerry Evans; her sisters: Barbara Hickey and Patty Knight; her sons: Bill, Joe (Stephanie), John, Mike (Michelle), Jamie (Erika) and Pat; her grandchildren: Jake (Sloan), Paige, Kyle (Allie), Tucker, Tate, Katie, Megan, Desmond and Scarlett; and her great grandchildren: Millie, Lainey, and Tayson.
Funeral services will be held at 11 AM, May 24th at St. Bartholomew’s Church in White Sulphur Springs with internment following at Mayn Cemetery. A reception at the White Sulphur Springs Community Center will start at 1 PM. On Monday the 26th, at 9:30 AM, please join the family for a Celebration of Life at the Geyser Community Hall. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations made to the Geyser High School Andrew Evans Scholarship Fund.
Details will be updated on the Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home website.
