Michael (Max) and Alida Norris lived in Maxville when their daughter Fern was born on May 9, 1917. Fern married Jesse Golder Evans from Anaconda on June 20, 1935. Jesse, born on August 30, 1913, was a self taught mechanic, machinist and welder who began his trade at the age of 12. Jesse was also an early day pilot. They enjoyed 63 years of marriage before Jesse died May 12, 1998 at the age of 85. At the time they married Jesse was working as a mechanic and equipment operator on the Flint Creek Hill for Bernard and Curtis Construction Company of Helena. This project was a government work program, during the depression to increase employment opportunities. Later he worked for the same company in the construction of East Fork Dam. Jesse joined the Seabees and served in the Pacific during World War II. When Jesse returned from the War he worked some contract jobs, then bought Ellingson and Loobey Logging and operated that until 1960. Next, Jesse and Fern owned and operated Evan’s Repair Shop. Fern and Jesse had three children: Harold, Gerald and Joyce, who survived both their parents. Jesse was also survived by sister Helen Hemsley of Salt Lake City and brothers: Loren of San Diego and Carrol of Butte, plus five grand daughters and great grand children: Cody Larson, Karlin Larson, Jesse West, Joshua West and Hannah Harris.
After living her married and widowed life in Philipsburg, Fern died on November 8, 2002 at her son Gerry and daughter-in-law Nanci (Kalstead) Evans home in Missoula, at the age of 85 and was buried next to Jess in the Philipsburg cemetery. Besides her children, Fern was survived by grandchildren: Stacey Nadeau, Vanessa West, Nichole Anderson, Janis Valencia and Julie Harris; 6 great grandchildren and her sisters Mildred McArdle of Anaconda and Irene (Susie) Smith of Seattle. She was preceded in death by her two brothers: Walter L. and Lawrence M. Norris.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter (Skimmy) Norris lived at Stone on the family ranch when their daughter Sharon died of a ruptured appendix on February 17, 1951. Born on May 1, 1941 in Missoula, she lived in Philipsburg and Stone and was in the 4th grade when she died. I was in her class and remember our teacher taking us to Dr. Nesbit’s Hospital (next to Doe’s drug Store) to see her a couple of days before she died. Sharon was suffering from a 107 degree temperature, unconscious and severely dehydrated. Survived by her parents (Walter 1909-1981) and Virginia (1916-1987)), brother Jimmy, sister Dorlene, grandparents: Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Gresswell of Maxville; and the numerous uncles and aunts. Sharon and her parents are buried next to Lawrence (1911-1999) and Eva (1917-1992) Norris in the Philipsburg cemetery.
Mildred Norris, born April 24, 1920 in Philipsburg graduated from Granite County High School in 1938. She married George McArdle from Anaconda that July 2 and worked for many years for Safeway in Anaconda and Buttery’s in Missoula. She died January 17, 2006 at the Anaconda Community Hospital and was survived by: sister Irene Smith in Seattle, daughters: Irene McArdle of Colorado, Alida Chiddix of Anaconda and Patsy Anderson of Colorado; ten grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren. Inurnment was in Mount Oliver Cemetery in Anaconda.
Irene (Susie) Norris was born in Maxville in 1914 and on April 21, 1935 she married George Smith of Philipsburg. To this marriage was born three children. George died on August 26, 1966 in Seattle. Irene worked for and retired from J.C. Penney’s and died on September 5, 2008 in Seattle and was preceded in death by her son Milton Smith on April 19, 1982 in Honolulu. She was survived by her sons: Darrell and Gary; six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
I will discuss the other Norris family, who were car dealers in Drummond in a later article.
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