Lewis Evert, 78 of Gothenburg, passed away on Aug. 29, 2026. He was born Nov. 15, 1947, in Hyannis, to John Evert and Lucille Johnson Evert.
He always said he had a great childhood in Hyannis, particularly enjoying swimming in the cement pool his father poured in their backyard.
He grew up working; mowing lawns, working at the local grocery store, helping on his family's turkey operation, and working for local ranchers as a teen. The work shaped him.
He was a cowboy from his roots, through and through. Each year when he visited Hyannis on Memorial Day, he would comment on the local lakes and recount his days fishing there - a cowboy remembering the boy he'd been.
In high school in Ogallala, he was a wrestler. During college summers, he worked interstate construction, using his hands and his back the way he'd always done. Lewis met his wife, Trudy, in college, and they were married in 1972. While he taught mathematics and served as an elementary and high school principal, his true calling was always the land and the work. He spent time working at Kingsley Dam near Lake McConaughy, and after retirement, he and his brother John purchased a ranch south of Brady, where he lived the life he was always meant to live. There, surrounded by family during brandings, holidays, and his grandchildren's ball games, he was exactly where he belonged. Each fall, he loved watching the Nebraska Huskers, a passion he shared with his family.
Lewis was known for his dry wit and perfect timing. If he showed up without his gun on any given day, he'd simply say, 'Looks like we're apologizing today'; a one-liner that captured both his practicality and his humor. He was the toughest man his family knew, but also the best host, the one who made everyone feel welcome.
Lewis was preceded in death by his parents, John and Lucille, and his brother, John G Evert.
He is survived by his wife, Trudy; his children, Amy (Kully) Harrison of Gothenburg and Kirk (Rachael) Evert of Brady; four grandchildren, Brady (Hannah) Harrison, Kaitlyn (Reegon) Witt, Addison Evert, Aubrey Evert; and one great-grandchild, Dean Evert Harrison.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 9, from 4 - 7 p.m. with the family present from 4 - 6 p.m. at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel in Gothenburg. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 10:30 a.m. at Blase-Strauser Memorial Chapel with Pastor Josh Seifert officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Brady or Gothenburg Fire Departments.