Gertrude Ann Kevershan

It is with great sadness that the family of Gertrude Ann (Parsons) Kevershan announces that she passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 31, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona. She was happy and watching reruns of the Carol Burnett Show with her family for several days before she transitioned from our world. Gertrude was 90.

Gertrude was born on October 23, 1933 (according to her mom, Olive) in Sandy Point, Newfoundland, Canada, but her legal documents say she was born on October 24, 1933. Mom figures the 24th was a clerical error, and that her mother would have known the correct date.

Gertrude grew up on Sandy Point, which is a small sand island, now uninhabited, off the southwest coast of Newfoundland.

During their childhood, Gertrude and her sister Geri (Geraldine) would set lobster pots using their dad’s dory. She never learned to ride a bike because they didn’t work well in sand. She learned to bake bread from her mom and passed that knowledge to her son Mike. She made beautiful pies with an abstract leaf design for the top crust vent holes, a tradition carried on by her daughter Patty. Her oldest daughter, Brenda, followed Gert’s example, becoming a very loving mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Gertrude met her husband Milton while he was stationed with the U.S. Air Force in Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada. Her aunt suggested she come over to her house to meet this “nice young guy.” They were married for 62 years before Milton’s passing in 2020.

Gertrude managed drugstores with Milton, a pharmacist, in Happy Camp, California and Tonopah, Nevada.

Gertrude was involved with many civic organizations in Happy Camp and Tonopah. She was elected Worthy Matron, Turquoise Chapter No.10, Order of the Eastern Star in Tonopah in 1982. She enjoyed outings with The Red Hat Society while living in Las Vegas. She and Milton volunteered at nearby Clark County Wetlands Park, where they greeted visitors.
Gertrude and Milton enjoyed taking walks, going out to eat (she kept Ziplocks in her purse when they went to buffets), attending concerts and music festivals, and traveling. Some of their favorite spots were San Diego, Monterey, San Francisco, New Orleans, and Hawaii. Countries they visited include Tahiti, Fiji, Mexico, Hungary, England, and Wales. They took cruises on the Mississippi River, and across the Pacific to New Zealand.

Gertrude was preceded in death by her husband, Milton Craig Kevershan; her parents, Alfred and Olive Patricia (Hines) Parsons; her in-laws, Milton Cornell and Harriette Ellen (Leader) Kevershan; her sister, Sylvia (Parsons) and her husband, Fred Walsh; brother-in-law, Calvin Pike; sister-in-law, Gen (Croke) Parsons, and sister-in-law, Pat (Kevershan) and her husband, James Hogan.

She is survived by their three children: daughter, Brenda (Kevershan/Huddleston) Dick; daughter, Patricia Kevershan and her husband, Patrick Murphy; and son Michael and his wife, Julianna (Jarboe) Kevershan.

Most people think they have the best mom, but I know we did. She was patient, hardworking, supportive, encouraging, loving, and always said we were capable of doing anything we wanted to do. She was a second mom to many of our friends.

Gertrude also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren, including Brenda’s children: Chad Huddleston and wife, Amanda (Russell); Lori (Huddleston) and husband, Jerry Walker; Julie (Dick) Fletcher; and, Christopher Dick and wife, Sierra (Sousa); as well as Michael and Julianna Kevershan’s daughters: Kristin, Kelly, Kimberly (and husband, Taylor Priest), and Kaitlyn (and husband, Ethan Burtch-Buus).

Milton and Gertrude’s great-grandchildren include Kelley (Huddleston) and husband, Landon Dilworth; Quintyn and Jeffery Walker; Cole Fletcher, Ely and Isabelle Bolin; and Payton and Gracie Dick.

Gertrude enjoyed seeing pictures of her great-great-grandchild, August Dilworth.

Gertrude is also survived by her siblings, their spouses, her nieces and nephews, and their families: Sam Parsons and wife, Linda (Andrews), and their children, Corey, and Tanya (Parsons) Chamberlain; Alf Parsons and his children, Billy, and Brenda (Parsons) Morey; Wanda (Parsons) and husband, Bruce McLellan, and their children, Brad, and Crystal (McLellan) Heffernan; and Geri (Parsons) Pike and her children, Wayne, Valerie (Pike) Sheppard, and Shawn.

On Milton’s side of the family, she is survived by her nieces and nephews, their spouses and families: Kathy (Hogan) Nansel; Debbie (Hogan) Carney; and Craig Hogan.

Her many friends and cousins will also miss visiting with Gertrude. She and Milton had a way of turning strangers into life-long friends.

Gertrude was cremated on September 11, 2024. Four years have passed since Milton’s death on April 8, 2020. There will be a joint celebration for both Gertrude and Milton on October 12, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona. We plan to have another joint celebration in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2025 when they will both be laid to rest.

The family appreciates your prayers and thoughts. We look forward to being together, either in person or online, to celebrate Milton and Gertrude.

Online condolences may be made for Milton at https://www.vistosofh.com/obituary/milton-kevershan

Click this link to view additional details about Gertrude's Services: https://my.gather.app/remember/gertrude-kevershan