Beverly "Bev" Jo Carlisle

On a quiet Tuesday morning, December 14, 2021, our dear friend Bevo with her loving family at her side picked up her final trip sheet, learned she’d gained her angel wings, and drove the Cruiser bus to heaven. Beverly Jo Carlisle was born on August 1, 1952, in Butte, Montana to Don and Doris Fink. Bev attended schools in Butte, Helena, and Simms. She graduated from Helena High in 1970 and began a variety of careers to keep her busy for a lifetime. She met and married Bruce Petersen of Simms MT. Through this union, she was blessed with two devoted and loving children, Jenny and Jason. Bev decided there was more to life than what she had with Bruce, so she chose to move on to greener pastures with her children by her side. Not long after that, she met and married Jeff Carlisle on July 18, 1992, and together they owned and operated Swain’s Spring Service with partners Jim and Kim Blunn. Bev and Jeff provided a loving home for Jeff’s two children, Jayde and Jeanette, and once again, Bev found herself at the forefront of raising children. Most folks after raising two sets of children would buy an RV and head for the hills or hit the road. Not Bev and Jeff; eleven years ago, when Chance and Oakley needed a safe and loving environment, Jeff and Bev rolled up their shirt sleeves, took a deep breath, and jumped right back into the deep end of the pool to raise two more kids. Bev’s desire and ability to love unconditionally and raise all those children surprises no one who knew her well. Over forty years ago, Bev provided babysitting services for a variety of families in the Simms area. When she wasn’t opening her home to other children, she opened and offered her yard and home to any stray animal that was fortunate to cross her path in one way or another. She was our own Bev Doolittle – She really could relate to animals of all kinds. When babysitting services were no longer in demand in the Simms area, Bev’s dear friend, Kate Fadness, talked her into getting her CDL and driving bus for the school district. This would begin a love affair for Bev that would last thirty-four full years. To Bevo, driving a school bus was not a career; it was her passion. Whether driving her daily bus route or team bus to the other side of the state, Bev poured her heart into that trip. She loved and cared for every child on her daily route, and no one cared for the Simms Tigers as much as Bevo did. She drove a team bus for every single athletic team and co-curricular activity offered through the Sun River Valley District. She could hardly wait to get to a destination to cheer for and support her Tigers. In most cases, after Bev parked the team bus, she usually headed to the scorer’s table at a specific athletic event to keep the book for softball, volleyball, or basketball. When she didn’t keep the book, one might find Bev filming the game or even keeping team stats. The athletes loved having Bev behind the wheel because they knew she cared deeply for them and their accomplishments. For many athletic coaches, Bev would be used as a third set of eyes to help the coaches possibly see something that was happening on the field or the court. At Speech and Drama meets or BPA conventions, Bev couldn’t just sit there and count her “downtime.” She would volunteer to judge events or rounds just to see the kids participate and make a positive contribution to their respective programs. For the past thirty-four years, Sun River Valley coaches and advisors would tell you they only wanted one person behind the wheel when driving conditions got tough, and that one person was Bev. She could do it all under the worst weather and driving conditions and never lose her cool. This past year, Bev received an award from the 4-H organization for her 30+ years of service and contributions to our local Circle S Club. She impacted many lives through her time spent with this association and its participants. In her spare time, if she did have some, Bev loved early morning walks with Jan and Colleen, playing tennis with DeeDee or sipping margaritas with anyone anywhere at any time. She loved dancing with the Russell Country Cloggers, cruising with Jeff in the side-by-side or on the open waters, and traveling the world with EF Tours, her children, grandchildren, and the students and staff of Simms High School. She ran in the Ice Breaker and Bloomsday Races for over fifteen years with her dad and sisters. Bev created beautiful stained-glass artwork, and one considered themselves lucky to receive one of her pieces. Life could throw Bev any curveball or adventure and she’d just roll right through it. Bev will always be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, friend, and Tiger Fan. Many will miss her, and everyone who truly knew Bev admired her for the courage she possessed and called upon with every trial, hurdle, and obstacle that came her way. Simply put – she inspired so many in her own quiet way. For this reason, she will live in our hearts forever. Survivors include her father, Don (Marie) Fink; husband, Jeff Carlisle; children, Jenny (Ryan) Garrison, Jason (Chelsea) Peterson, Jayde (Shaquille) Stephens, and Jeanette (Tim) Schmitt; grandchildren, Tyler and Paula Garrison, Cody Garrison, Trevor Peterson, Brittany Bray, Steven Bray, Colton Bray, Chance Carlisle, Oakley Carlisle, Dallon Carlisle, Xavier and Xyla Stephens; and her great-grandchildren, Fay Beverly, Cassidy, McKinnley, and Dawson. Bev also leaves behind her three brothers, Ken Forgette of Vista CA, Jerry (Shirlee) Forgette of Lakeside CA, and Keith Forgette of Apple Valley CA; sisters, Pam Fink of Billings MT and Leslie (Tim) Kremer of Moore MT; stepsiblings, Carol (Dave) Kraft of Cody WY, Kathy (Dick) Eickert of Kalispell MT, and Larry (Carmen) Field of Kalispell MT; mother-in-law, Pat Marsden of Great Falls; Spence and Ron Eli, Brian and Dawn Robison, Ray and Georgene Robison; many nieces and nephews; and numerous special friends. Those who preceded Bev in death include her mother, Doris Forgette; brother, Roy Fink; sisters, Terri Lynn Forgette, and Tracey Lee Forgette; stepmother, Elaine Fink; stepfather, Frenchy Forgette; and sister-in-law, Tracey Forgette. A memorial service is planned for Bev at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 21, 2021, at Simms High School. A luncheon is scheduled to follow the service at the Fairfield Community Hall. If Bev impacted or touched your life in any way, please consider making a memorial to Circle S 4-H Club, c/o Shantel Herman, PO Box 171, Simms MT 59477, the Sun River Valley Booster Club, c/o Simms Schools, P.O. Box 380, Simms MT. 59477, or the National Breast Cancer Foundation to support and fund research regarding Metastatic Breast Cancer. Condolences for the family may be shared online at www.SchniderFuneralHome.com.