Obituary of Evelyn Viola Barnhart

Evelyn Viola Kautz-Perdue-Crandall-Barnhart, 91 yrs 5 mo, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 4, 2011 at Linden Grove Healthcare Center, Puyallup, WA, after long illnesses of Diabetes, Parkinson, & Alzheimer. Evelyn was born September 3, 1919 in Portland, Oregon to Adam Frank and Maud Kautz. She was the third in a family of nine children. Her parents purchased a dairy farm and moved to Grand Ronde, OR. She remembered milking cows and the chores she did before walking miles to school every day. Evelyn loved her horse Babe. A kind neighbor lady drove her and sisters to church on Sundays. When she returned home her dad would scold her for the worn holes in her stockings from kneeling to pray. Evelyn received Jesus into her heart at an early age. He made her so happy! He placed a beautiful smile on her face, gave her the gift of making music with her harmonica and whispered into her spirit “now share the love I gave you with others!” The Lord placed Howard Perdue in her life, a banjo/guitar picking, good looking cowboy who stole her heart. They were married March 24, 1940. The couple moved to Renton, WA where he worked as a machinist for The Boeing Co. building B-47 bombers and 707 planes during World War II. Howard and Evelyn were blessed with three daughters Marilyn, Carolyn, and Patti who learned to love and serve Jesus through her example. Evelyn taught Sunday school, worked in Vacation Bible School, sang in the choir, helped her girls memorize verses and oversaw their piano & violin lessons. Howard served as church treasurer for many years. Evelyn and her husband started over 8 mission churches in the Puget Sound area purchasing, tables, chairs, hymnbooks, bibles and canvassed neighborhoods inviting folks to church. She also worked at Roadside Rest Stops on the I-5 corridor helping to raise funds for children to go to Bible Camp. Some favorite family memories were to spend a week at Mt Baker Bible Camp, boating, fishing, clam digging, camping, hunting, gardening, visiting relatives & friends, traveling places from Canada to Mexico. Four years after celebrating their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary her husband, Howard, died of an unexpected massive heart attack at age 55. The Lord truly wiped away every tear. She trusted Him completely with unwavering faith. Evelyn had never worked since raising her girls. She found work as a cook’s helper in the Kent School District and Valley Villa Care Center. She was hired by Group Health to drive patients to appointments and deliver medications for six years. Evelyn loves companionship and has never liked living alone. She married Eugene Crandall April 13, 1973. For ten years they shared like interests and had fun with all the grandchildren. He accepted Jesus and was baptized not knowing that his life would end at 87 with cancer to the brain. Evelyn’s third marriage was to Harry Barnhart, they wed May 13, l985. They toured in their motorhome, twice around the USA and Canada and were snowbirds in the winter. This spry and lively couple enjoyed 13 years together and he passed away at 96 with Alzheimer. She was a precious wife and caregiver to Harry. Myles Swails, was a very special friend who lived in Evelyn’s apartment building. Myles introduced mom to Puget Sound Auto Auction/Adesa in Auburn at 80 yrs young where she drove and parked cars until her 84th birthday. Through Evelyn’s Christian witness & testimony brought him into a personal relationship with Jesus until he passed away with cancer. Evelyn cruised the Western Caribbean, Alaska, Mexican Riviera, through the Panama Canal with her family. She vacationed, toured and flew to other parts of the USA, Hawaii & Australia. Playing her harmonica for her family, friends at nursing homes and hospitals brought her joy. She told her daughter Patti, “everyone loves me”, and that is so true. Mom loved the old gospel hymns, going to church, hugs, and her family visits. Her favorite verse was Hebrews 13:5. Evelyn is survived by her three loving daughters and husbands, Marilyn (Gary) Anderson of Nanaimo, BC, Canada, Carolyn (Leon) Wyant of Federal Way, WA, Pat (Clifford) Crandall of Auburn, WA., 10 grand children, Michael Anderson, Dale Anderson, Jon Anderson, Karla Sondrup, Jeff Anderson, Carl Wyant, Leona Partridge, Charles Wyant, Jason Crandall, Justin Crandall, & 20 great grandchildren, along with many beloved nieces and nephews, and her brother Robert Kautz of Albany, OR. Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, three husbands Howard, Eugene, Harry, two brothers William Kautz, Adam (Bud) Kautz and five sisters, Louise Cook, Elizabeth Bergeron, Etta Pearl Fuller, Grace Irene Robinson, Sadie Kautz. In lieu of flowers, gifts or contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America or Gideon International Bible Society. An online guestbook is available at “Klontz Funeral Home.com” in Auburn, WA. A “Celebration of Life” memorial service for Evelyn Barnhart will be held, April 9, 2011, 11:00 a.m. at Northwest Family Church, 3535 Auburn Way South, Auburn, WA 98002 phone 253-833-8252 Mother, you will forever be in our hearts & we will miss your smile, laugh,& love you gave to all of us. See you in heaven!