Evelyn Fern Tibbits

  Evelyn Fern (Pritchett) Tibbits was born July 16, 1925 to Oscar Pritchett and Helen (Baer) in Telluride, CO. She passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at the age of 97.

  Evelyn lived in Rico until she was about 4 years old. Her father was a miner in Rico until they moved to Dolores to farm fruit orchards. She attended school in Dolores where she sang in the high school choir and played the saxophone in the high school marching band. She graduated from Dolores High School in May 1943.

  Evelyn and Richard dated in high school and were married July 27, 1943. They moved to Albany, Georgia for about a year before he was shipped overseas with the Army Air Corps. Evelyn returned back home to Dolores by herself on a train and she was a telephone operator while she waited for him to return home. When he returned to Dolores they lived at a logging camp where Evelyn cooked for everyone at camp and did the laundry on a washboard.

  Evelyn also enjoyed gardening and sharing the produce with her friends and neighbors. She loved to play Bridge and other card games. Evelyn was also very active and enjoyed her daily walks. She fed animals that came by her home including birds, hummingbirds, turkeys, foxes, chipmunks and deer. Snakes were a different story and didn't have a chance once they startled Evelyn.

  Throughout her adult life, Evelyn’s greatest love was her family. She especially enjoyed holding the babies as her family started to grow. She loved these visits from everyone and listened to their stories. Not a day went by that Evelyn didn’t talk about how much her children and family meant to her. Her family was her most important achievement in life. Evelyn also shared many stories about growing up in Dolores and her memories with Richard over the years. Evelyn always lovingly supported Richard and his many endeavors.

  Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters, Alice (Pritchett) Marlow and Twila(Pritchett) West, and her husband, Richard Tibbits. She is survived by her son, Gary and Carol Tibbits; her son, Richard L. (Dick) Tibbits; her daughter, Connie and Thurl Boyd; and her daughter Darlene, and Joe Burns; her grandkids, Kirby and Leah Boyd; Kyan and Shalun Maloney; Tyler Tibbits; Sheena Groff; Whitney and CJ Honaker; Kameron and Cassandra Burns; and Kienan and Kenna Tibbits; and her great-grandchildren, Bailey Boyd; Braden Boyd; Rylan Maloney; Kale Groff; Kace Tibbits; Hailee Honaker; Brooklyn Kimmel; Lukka Burns; Konnar Tibbits; Cooper Honaker; and Lunna Burns.

A celebration of her life will be held this summer.