Evelyn Lois Seymour

MURTAUGH – Evelyn Lois (Perry) Seymour was born Aug. 18, 1927, in Norwood, Colo., the daughter of Warren A. and Bessie Leona (Morris) Perry. She passed away on April 6, 2013, as the result of a head injury due to a fall.

Evelyn was known for her vivacious smile and quirky sense of humor. Despite battles with health issues throughout her life, Evelyn loved to be involved in all of the activities of her family and friends; in the early years with her brothers and sisters, and later with her children, Janet and Carl. After graduating from Nucla High School in Nucla, Colo., in 1945, Evelyn attended business college in Colorado Springs, studying bookkeeping. While working for Gay Johnson's Tire Co. in Montrose, Colo., she met and married the love of her life, John (Ray) Seymour, on May 17, 1953. They shared more than 58 years of marriage.

Following their wedding, Evelyn and Ray moved to Idaho where they took part in the land draw for veterans in the Rupert/Minidoka area, hoping to find suitable land for their future dreams. But instead of accepting the land they drew, Ray found work in the Milner area and began a long working relationship with Mark Moorman. He and Evelyn pioneered and sharecropped the land they eventually bought from Mr. Moorman. Evelyn steadfastly helped Ray in every capacity she could to help make their farm a success; everything from fighting dust, insects, and mice to helping feed sheep, driving into town for parts, and providing for the hired help. She loved all homemaking - sewing, canning, crafting, cooking - and spent many years active in the Milner Home Extension Club, and her church, where she developed lifelong friends.

Unfortunately, activities and involvement could not prevent heart disease from taking its toll, and Evelyn underwent pioneering open-heart surgery in January 1964. Years of depression and other illnesses followed. In June 2001, she had a second open-heart surgery, in which her aorta valve was replaced, and her health improved. Following her husband's death in 2011, Evelyn moved to Aurora, Colo., to be near her daughter. She lived at MorningStar at Dayton Place, where she quickly developed new friends and became involved in group activities. Her quirky humor and joy for life resurfaced to the delight of her family and friends.

Evelyn is preceded in death by her husband Ray (2011) and her sister, Gladys Cheney (2012). Evelyn is survived by her two children, Janet Giebler (Chris) of Aurora, Colo., and Carl Seymour (Cynthia) of Burley, Idaho; six grandchildren, Gary Gray (Marcy) of Pocatello, Idaho, Catherine Johnston (Jessie) of Snowville, Utah, Christin Grumbein (Andrew) of Havelock, N.C., Lauren Giebler (Than Putzig) of Golden, Colo., Mitchell Giebler (Jamie Parham) of Boise, Idaho, and Clinton Seymour (Sarah) of Murtaugh, Idaho; eight great-grandchildren; one sister, Dorothy Austin (Ben); and three brothers, Howard Perry (Doris), Edward Hollett (Shirley), and Vernon Hollett (Carol).

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, at Dayton Place in Aurora, Colo.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 19, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, where friends and family may call one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley.