Evelyn D. Armbrister, 91, Hays, died Friday, December 8, 2023 at HaysMed.
She was born November 9, 1932 in Hays, the daughter of Jacob “Jake” and Mae Frances (Smith) Henrickson. On October 28, 1950 she was united in marriage to Raymond F. Armbrister in Las Vegas, Nevada, and they were married 60 years before he preceded her in death on June 30, 2010. Evelyn was a longtime member of St. John Lutheran Church until 1984 when she and Raymond moved to Hays and they became members of Messiah Lutheran Church. At the age of 15, Evelyn ran her grandfather’s dairy farm and she became a hardworking farmwife, feeding cattle, helping with field work, driving the tractor and wheat truck, and pumping oil wells. She loved Christmas and Christmas music, played the saxophone, was a talented artist and seamstress, and enjoyed gardening.
Survivors include her two sons, Rodney Armbrister and wife Robin of Ellis and Clarence Armbrister and wife Sharon of Bel Aire, two daughters, Gwen Herman and husband Jerry of Hays and Yvonne Koehn and husband Steven of Castle Rock, CO, a sister, Joyce Meseke of Kansas City, nine grandchildren, Jeremy Herman and wife Justine, Travis Herman and wife Erin, Karen Christian, Jennifer Miller and husband Ricky, Tamra Lickteig and husband Brad, Kely Hopkins and husband David, Kyle Armbrister, Randy Armbrister and wife Alana, and Dana Ellis and husband Kody, nine great grandchildren, Quinton, Jaxon, Isla, and Cade Herman, Audrey and Emery Christian, Evelyn Miller, Morgan and Nora Lickteig, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Raymond, six brothers, Les, Jakie, Robert, Toliff, Orval, and an infant brother, and four sisters, Ruth, Mildred, Vera, and Mary Lorine.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, December 18, 2023 at Messiah Lutheran Church. Burial will follow in Mount Allen Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9:00 am until service time on Monday at the church. Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Services are in the care of Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Condolences and memories of Evelyn may be left for her family at www.haysmemorial.com