Evan M Harris

PRESTON, IDAHO EVAN HARRIS
PRESTON-Evan M Harris, 75, passed away on August 17, 2012, at the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah. He was born on Nov. 11, 1936, in Lago, Idaho, to William McGee Harris and Sybil Lucille Letham. He was the second child of four children. He had one older brother and two younger brothers. He went to school in Thatcher, Idaho and completed his elementary education there. In 1947, the family moved to Preston, Idaho where he finished and graduated from Preston High.
When Evan was nineteen, his mother passed away and later his dad remarried Virginia Mortenson. This marriage added three additional brothers. At that same time, Evan took over his mother's mail route that she had held for several years, delivering mail from Preston to Thatcher. He hauled mail on that route for about two years. On May 19, 1956, he married Radine M Fortie in Ogden, Utah. He also went to work for the telephone company in 1956. He worked what they called telephone construction in all of southeastern/western Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Arizona. Evan worked on the road for nineteen years.
In the meantime, Radine and the children lived in Preston, where they had purchased a home. Together, they had two daughters and two sons. In 1976, and after all the years working on the road, Evan was able to permanently work in and around the Preston area. He semi-retired from the phone company in 1992 and additionally went to work for an underground utility locating company, STS, from 1993 to 2000. In the year 2000, he permanently retired from both companies.
Evan was active in sports through high school and later an avid golfer and bowler. He bowled many years with friends and family. He won several awards and was inducted into Preston's Bowling Hall of Fame. Evan was also an avid hunter throughout his life and enjoyed many camping trips with his brothers and family. He, along with Radine, enjoyed their senior years taking many bus trips to Wendover, Laughlin and Mesquite, Nevada, the latter of which they enjoyed many plays at the Tuachan Ampitheater. They traveled with several friends on those bus trips and made more friends as well.
He is survived by his four children: Tammy (Van) Braegger of Preston; Janice (Sam) Gleason of Battle Mountain, Nevada; Kip (Karen) Harris of Elko, Nevada; Zan Harris of Preston; five brothers, Glen (Joyce) Harris of Bancroft, Idaho; Jerry (Conna) Mortensen of Pocatello, Idaho; Jim (DeeAnn) Mortensen of Casper, Wyoming; Terry (Janna) Mortensen of Soda Springs, Idaho; Van (Gayla) Harris of Barnum, Wyoming; and by fourteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, his parents, a brother, Neil, and by his wife of fifty-six years. All of his family will deeply miss him.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, Aug. 24, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. at Webb Funeral Home, 1005 South 800 East, Preston, Idaho, with Bishop Jeff Palmer conducting. Friends may call Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at Webb Funeral Home and Friday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. also at the mortuary. Interment will be in the Lago, Idaho Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.webbmortuary.com