Our beloved mom, mother-in-law, aunt, grandma, great-grandma, and friend, Betty Eva, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 5 at St. James Hospital in Butte, Montana. She had just celebrated her 92nd birthday. Betty (Ezernack) Eva was born to Walter and Audrey Ezernack on May 26, 1933, in Zwolle, Louisiana. One of 8 children,

Betty grew up learning the value of hard work, picking cotton in the fields and helping her mother in the garden. She loved her early days living in the country. She learned, first-hand, about her southern qualities of resiliency, strength, spirituality, faith, nurturing, hospitality, wit, humor, grace, dignity, loyalty, pride, and "speaking the truth". We never had to wonder what Betty was thinking… ever!

Betty was also an incredible athlete. She loved many sports but really excelled at basketball and volleyball. She helped to form a recreational women's basketball league and the team went on to play and defeat teams from Louisiana State University and Mississippi State University. Betty helped start volleyball in the grade schools, coached her daughters' teams, and played in a women's league with her daughters along her side. She proudly displayed the many trophies she had won in the city league championships.

Betty shared the love of volleyball with her daughters, granddaughters, and even great-granddaughters. She also loved to play softball and go bowling—earning even more trophies! She gave it her all in everything she did.

In 1955, Betty met Tom Eva, an active military serviceman stationed in Louisiana, and the two married shortly after. They welcomed their two daughters, Linda and Judy, in Louisiana before they moved to be closer to Tom's family in Montana in 1962. While in Butte, they welcomed two sons, Ray and Jim.

Betty worked so hard to help care for her family, sometimes taking on two jobs at a time. She had a daycare in her home for many years and loved getting to care for little children. She also worked as a housekeeper at the Copper King Inn, followed by the War Bonnet Inn where she worked until her employer Herb opened the Butte Plaza Inn. Betty was the head of housekeeping at the Butte Plaza Inn for many years where she took great pride in her work. She would prepare for weeks to ensure the "inspections" went off without a hitch. She maintained impeccable cleanliness and took great care of those who worked for her. Betty often gave to others even when she didn't have any extra herself. If her "girls" at the hotel were in need of help, Betty often drove them to appointments, helped pay their rent, gave them gas money, and even bought them groceries. She never let others go without. She also helped many others along the way–friends of her children or other neighbors in the community. She truly helped to save other people's lives. She was an amazing example of selfless giving and living out her faith with a servant's heart. One of Betty's greatest joys in life was planting and tending to flowers–especially her beloved petunias. She would meticulously nurture her plants both at home and at the hotel, taking great pride in watching them bloom and grow. Even up until the last few months of her life, Betty was helping tend to the flowers at the Beehive homes. Betty truly had a green thumb and loved caring for God's creation.

After suffering a mini-stroke in early 2012, Betty retired from her career and went on to spend time helping to care for and play with her family–especially two of her great-grandchildren. Betty would spend time rocking the babies, chasing them up and down the halls, going to the park, babysitting, reading books, playing Go Fish, showing them how to play volleyball, watching cartoons, snuggling, eating snacks, taking drives, helping with housework, having sleepovers, getting ice cream, going to the zoo, and even floating the Big Hole River (though she was terrified of water). Betty would do anything for her family, and she loved the time she got to spend with all of her children, grandkids, and great grandchildren.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, her in-laws, her siblings and their spouses, and dear friends Sherry, Barb, and Grace. Betty is survived by her daughters: Linda (Dave) Skelton and Judy (Jim) Paffhausen; her sons: Ray and Jimmy (and his special friend Casey) Eva; grandchildren: Nicole (Tyler) McClung, Mike (Beth) and Matt Paffhausen, Brent (Katie), Shawn (Heather), and Russ (Wendy) Skelton, and Levi Eva; her great-grandchildren: Natalie, Mick, Piper, Landon, Lucy, Luke, Maeve, Holly, Chase (Kari), and Christopher. Betty is also survived by her sisters-in-law, Carol Ezernack Raffaelo and Bonnie (Kevin) Eva-Tenold, numerous nieces and nephews, and her dear friends Michael, Terry, and Marcy.

Betty's family would like to thank the friends she met at the Meadowlands Apartments, the staff and friends she made at the Beehive Homes, and St. James Intermountain Hospital staff for their love and wonderful care for our dear Betty.

Grandma "Bunny", we are missing you now, and will always keep you in our hearts, memories, and stories. We'll smile when we remember your antics, laugh when we think of your jokes, and cry a little when we think of our lives without you. We know this is not the end, and we will see you again in eternity with the Lord. We love you so much. A

Celebration of Life for Betty will take place on Sunday, June 29 at 11:00 am at Duggan Dolan. There will be a reception to follow.