Kathryn "Katie" Pauline Evans, 97, died Saturday, August 8, 2015 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital. Katie was born November 8, 1917 in Newell, SD to Nicholas Sr. and Pauline (Gjuka) Lale. She grew up on the family ranch, graduating from Newell High School in 1935. Working as a car-hop to pay for tuition, Katie graduated from the beauty school in Deadwood SD and later taught there. On September 5, 1939 she married Bailey H. Fiero in Rapid City SD. They spent the war years living in California. Bailey died tragically in November 1947 as a result of a vehicle accident in Belle Fourche SD. Left with an 18 month old son to raise by herself, Katie started her own beauty shop in Deadwood and later met Nicholas Evans. They married in Raynesford, MT in February 1949. Nick worked for Peter Kiewit and Sons Construction and the family moved frequently in the upper Midwest over the following years. They settled in Rapid City in 1961, where Nick supervised construction of the Minuteman Missile silos and later retired in 1969. Katie was a member of what many believe was America's Greatest Generation. She always accepted both the good times and the hardships that life had to offer. Never complaining, she simply went on dealing with whatever God had asked her to do in her life. This included being a major caregiver over many years for her husbands, her mother, her brothers and her father-in-law. Katie had the magical gift of remembering people's names and spoke to them as if they were the only person in the room. She was a lady that new acquaintances would always come to love and call their friend. Katie truly loved music, learned to play the accordion in her youth, and would regularly be found picking out great songs from the 40's and 50's on her basement piano. She was a marvelous baker and seamstress, and like her own mother, taught herself to crochet and knit. Katie's keen eye for design was brilliantly put on display through her hobbies. Refusing to let the mounting years slow her down, she enjoyed driving, bowling and YMCA water aerobics well into her 90's. She was a deeply religious person and a lifetime member of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church parish in Rapid City. Katie's biggest love was being a mother to her four children. She had a special and unique relationship with each of them. Katie provided a home that was filled with that love for both her children and their friends. She was filled with joy and pride that her children all completed college, and became highly successful in their chosen professions. She also dearly loved her two granddaughters and two great grandsons. With all four of her children present and holding her hands, the final words she spoke were "I love you kids." Survivors include her children: Terry Fiero, (Pamela), Newark, Ohio, Dr. Pamela Evans, Akron, Ohio, Bill Evans, Rapid City and Dr. Duane Evans (Jeryl Millner), Minneapolis, MN, two granddaughters; Christina (Tom) Gwynn, Newark, Ohio and Tracy Byerly (Ron), Newark, Ohio, two great grandsons; Brandon and Ryan Byerly, and her sister, Elsie Syverson, Minneapolis, MN. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands; Bailey and Nicholas and eight brothers and sisters. Visitation will be held from 5:00PM until 7:00PM on Thursday, August 13, 2015 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Rapid City, with a rosary recitation and Christian Wake service following at 7:00PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 2:00 pm Friday, August 14, 2015 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church with Rev. Brian Lane presiding. Burial will follow in the Mount Calvary Cemetery, Rapid City. Donation checks to the Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota Foundation in memory of her name can be sent in care of Duane Evans, 5336 1st Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55419. Friends may sign her online guest register at www.osheimschmidt.com.