Obituary - Lee G. Blevins

Lee G. Blevins, 91, passed away due to natural causes on Thursday, June 23, 2016, at the Care & Comfort Home.

A visitation will be held from 4 until 6 p.m. today, Tuesday, June 28, 2016, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on 

Wednesday, June 29, 2016, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church with Father Daniel Wathen officiating. Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery.

Lee's family has requested that memorials be made in his name to the Care & Comfort Home, 1204 Cleveland Ave., Havre, MT 59501, the Montana Veterans Memorial, PO Box 3524, Great Falls, MT 59403, or to a charity of the donor's choice.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit Lee's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for his family at www.hollandbonine.com.

Lee was born at the family homestead on April 18, 1925, in Lohman to Grover and Mildred (Miller) Blevins.  He was raised in Blaine County, attending Highland Country School and Chinook High School before his entry in the U.S. Army during his senior year. He served his country as a messenger in the Asiatic Pacific Theater for a year and a half before his honorable discharge in 1944. He returned home to Chinook, and began working as a carpenter, a career that spanned his lifetime. In January 1945, he married Eleanor Slonaker, and their five children were born while they lived in Chinook

Lee worked for Dora Hebert, Hugo Shellen and John Siret Construction. In 1958, the family moved to Havre, where Lee worked for Noel Davidson, Bill Fuglevand, and Dave and Dell Eskestrand.

Eleanor passed away in 1966.

In 1973, Lee married Elizabeth "Beth" (Schaller) Patrick in Havre. In 1974, they started Havre Custom Cabinets, which they ran for many years, in addition to Lee's saw-sharpening business. In 2011, he and Beth moved to a retirement facility in Billings. After Beth passed away in 2012, Lee returned to Havre to be near his family.

  Lee enjoyed tinkering with his 1966 Mercuries, playing his guitar and violin and golfing. He raised his children with a love of the outdoors, which included camping and hunting, especially with his sons. He and Beth loved to go dancing, and they were quite accomplished dancers. Lee was a member of the VFW, the American Legion, the Havre Eagles Club, and the Elks Club. He was a very patriotic man who took great pride in flying his flag.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Grover and Mildred Blevins; wives, Eleanor and Beth Blevins; daughter-in-law, Suzanne Blevins; grandson, Shane Blevins; great-granddaughter, Ella Mae Johnson; stepson, Garry Patrick; stepson-in-law, Ron Wagner; stepgrandson, Cecil Andrew Patrick; step-great-grandson, Erick Boisvert; brothers, Jim, Tom and Lawrence Blevins; and sisters, Virginia Christian, Frances Heagney, Laro Hensley, Celia Hyslop, Juanita Mickelson, Florence Porter and Fern Blevins.

Lee is survived by his sons, Merritt (Cheryl Anderson) and Merlin (Bonnie) Blevins, all of Havre, Leon Blevins of Missoula and Robin (Wendy) Blevins of Columbia Falls; daughter, Sherril (Harlan) Schmidt of Sparks, Nevada; stepsons, Dennis (Dee) Patrick of Seattle, Vernon (Crystal) Patrick of Durhan, California, and Keith Patrick of Redding, California; stepdaughters, Lynnette Wagner of Boise, Idaho, and Shirley McGee (Randy Dauenhauer) of Billings; six grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren with one due any day; numerous step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; sisters, Ramona Groat, Louise Albert and Lorraine Youngs all of Vancouver, Washington; and numerous nieces and nephews.