Evelyn Louise (Walsh) Trudeau (Evie) 1/12/1931 – 2/5/2024

Evelyn Trudeau, 93, passed away on February 5, 2024, in Helena, MT. She was born January 12, 1931, in Butte to Louise (Neary) and Patrick Walsh. She was the eldest of seven siblings and was born a true nurturer and caregiver at heart. She attended grade school at St. Mary's in Butte and graduated from Girls' Central High School in 1949.

On September 26, 1949, Evelyn married Louis "Ray" Trudeau. From this union four children were born: John (1950), Patrick (1950), Colleen (1952), and Michael (1955). Ray passed unexpectedly in 1970 and Evelyn assumed the role of primary parent and provider. Evelyn later began a 53-year courtship with Wade Smith until his passing in 2023.

Evelyn began working at a very early age to help provide for her mother and sisters. Although she had numerous jobs throughout the course of her lifetime, some of her favorites included driving the school bus for the Rocker schoolhouse, cleaning trailers for Jerry's RV, and a very long tenure at the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). She was an extremely dedicated and hard worker. She once hit a deer on her way to work and drove her totaled car (and the deer) the remainder of the way to work so that she would not be late. Evelyn retired from MDT 2010. She was lovingly known as "Mother Trudeau" to her family of coworkers.

Evelyn loved gardening, ironing, washing windows, cleaning anything she could get her hands on, crocheting, bowling, and hosting large family gatherings in her spare time. Her house was always full to the brim with family and friends on Christmas and St. Patrick's Day every year. She was extremely proud of her Butte Irish-Catholic heritage and her large family. She was never known to back down from standing up for a cause that she was passionate about. She sang in the St. Ann's Catholic Church choir for many years and made many meaningful friendships along the way.

Evelyn spent the last four years of her life living in Helena with her daughter, Colleen. With Colleen's assistance, she was able to continue to take trips to California to visit her sister, Dorothy, and Texas to see her eldest granddaughter get married. She spent many holidays surrounded by her loved ones and especially treasured the time that she was able to spend watching her great-grandchildren grow. Evelyn would often claim that her secret to making it to her age was to stay busy and enjoy a rum and coke every afternoon.

Evelyn is survived by her sons Pat (Karen) Trudeau and Mike Trudeau; daughter Colleen Lubick; sister Dorothy Thomas; and half-siblings Charlotte (Fred) Trudgeon, Patty (Len) Niemi, and Pat Walsh; grandchildren Raelene (Richard) Wilson, Jennifer (Matt) Rafacz, Amy (Tom) Carlson, Phillip Trudeau, Sarah (Zane) Harmon, and Tony (Anna) Lubick; grandchildren Heather, Ethan, Evelyn, Quinn, Maddie, and Marsali; special in-laws Jerry and Shirley McCauley; many loved cousins, nieces, and nephews; and numerous special friends and their families. She was eagerly awaiting the arrival of her new great-grandson, Harrison, in April.

She was proceeded in death by her husband (Ray Trudeau); infant son (John Trudeau); longtime partner (Wade Smith); baby sister (Patsy); sister and brother in-law (Shirley and Stan Walsh); brother-in-law (Eli Thomas); favorite son-in-law (Bob Lubick); nephews Dan Walsh and Francis Thomas; and great-grandson Aidan Trudeau

A funeral mass will be celebrated on Thursday, February 15th at 11:00AM at St. Patrick's Catholic Church with receiving of family and friends beginning at 10:30AM. A lunch reception will immediately follow mass at the Copper King Convention Center. Private internment of ashes will take place later this spring.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to St. Jude's Childrens Hospital or Our Lady of the Rockies.