Evon Lucian Stephani, 90, passed away Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at his longtime home west of Woodside. He was surrounded by his wife of 51 years (Linda), his three sons (Robert “Bob”, Jonathan “Jon” and Chris) and his daughter-in-law (Brenda). He was also loved and in the hearts of his other two daughters-in-law (Krista and Janie) and his five grandchildren (Addison, Madelyn, Charles, Wyatt and Owen). He was preceded in death by his parents (Peter and Charlotte), sisters (Lillie, Lucille, and Roberta) and brothers (William “Bill” and Robert “Bob”).
Evon was born November 10, 1934, in Fort Benton, Montana. His family moved from Square Butte to the Bitterroot Valley in 1938. He graduated from Corvallis High School in 1952 and joined the United States Air Force from 1954-1958. During his service, he discovered his love of electronics while stationed on a radar base during the Korean War on the Japanese island of Shimokoshiki-jima. Following the completion of his military service, he attended Montana State University where he graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1962.
After graduating from college, Evon worked at the National Reactor Testing Station (now called the INL) outside of Idaho Falls and then later at various laboratory sites in Los Alamos, NM. He was responsible for designing the test/measurement equipment used on numerous research experiments conducted by those sites. Evon was highly respected for the accuracy and dependability of the equipment he designed, which were critical to the success of those programs.
While working in Los Alamos, Evon met the love of his life, Linda Maurine Simpson. After a couple years of courtship, Evon presented Linda with an engagement ring which led to their marriage at the Los Alamos Church of Christ on June 22, 1974. Evon and Linda were married for 51 years spending most of that time living in Montana.
Evon fully retired in the summer of 1990 at which time he moved his family from New Mexico back to the “Stephani Homestead” west of Woodside. Once back, Evon began raising beef cattle on the family property, cultivating the best vegetable garden in the Bitterroot and constantly working to improve the land that was so dear to him since his childhood. Evon also volunteered his time helping in the Corvallis School system where he worked with kids on projects including mentoring the robotics team or teaching classes on electronics. Evon spent multiple years on the board for the Mill Lake Irrigation District where he led the multi-year project to perform maintenance and improvements on the Mill Lake dam. Evon was recognized by the Forest Service for his years of partnership with them while serving as a commissioner for the Mill Lake Irrigation District.
Evon always found places to hike, hunt, and fish while living in Montana, Idaho, and New Mexico. Some of his favorite locations included the Dry Creek area in eastern Idaho, Mill Canyon and Tag Alder Lake within the Bitterroot National Forest. Evon took his sons, grandkids, friends, and other family members on countless hiking, hunting, and fishing trips over the years in an effort to share his love of the outdoors. Evon also loved Montana history, cutting firewood, running cattle, maintaining irrigation ditches, and tending to the 80-acre “Stephani Homestead”. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with family and friends that would come by to visit he and Linda.
Graveside services will be held at the Corvallis Cemetery at 11 a.m. on Monday, June 30, 2025. Military honors will be presented by the Corvallis American Legion Post #91. A reception will follow at the Daly Leach Memorial Chapel in Hamilton. Condolences may be left for the family at dalyleachchapel.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorials to be made to the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.
