Beatrice Sleeth

Memorial service for Beatrice “Bea” Sleeth will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, March 15, 224 at Walker Funeral Home. Beatrice Y. “Bea” Sleeth, 83, died peacefully in her sleep March 6, 2024. Bea was born August 31, 1940, in Townsend, Montana, the first of six children of Wayne and Hazel Strehlow. Her family lived in Bainbridge Island, Washington during WWII, she had many fond memories from her time there. Her younger years were spent relocating from one small town to another small town in Montana and North Dakota, following her father’s employment in the oil field industry. She moved from place to place until she found the right place, Baker, Montana, where she met and married her high school sweetheart, George R. Sleeth. They had been married for 65 years. When they were first married, they lived in Southern California at the Naval Base. After George was honorably discharged from the US Navy they returned to Montana. Eventually, they landed in Gillette where they raised their four children. For many years she drove school bus for Campbell County School District. In 1996 she was named Bus Driver of the Year. She also never failed to help run George’s Rig Service. She also sold Mary Kay for years, helping women feel beautiful. Unable to remain idle after retirement, she worked in the kitchen at the Senior Center. She leaves behind her husband, George Sleeth; children, Robert G. “Bob” Sleeth, Barbera J. “Barb” Hammond (Bryan), Cynthia “Cindy” R. Lesko (Christopher); grandchildren, Miranda Brandt (Adam), Chan Kern, Madeline “Maddy” Lesko (Lucas “Luke” Wallace), Katie Lesko; and great grandchildren Austin Brandt (Allison), Lily Brandt, Alexis Kravanic, Claire Kern and Iralyn Lesko-Wallace. The Sleeth family will welcome Bea and George’s great-great-granddaughter in April of 2024, the first child of Austin and Alison. Being the eldest of the Strehlow children Bea helped raise her siblings, Claudia McKnire (John), Deborah Connole (late husband, Robert), Connie Weber (Raulie), Ron Strehlow (Roxanne), in addition to the numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son Paul R. Sleeth and brother Leslie O. Strehlow. Bea was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. She was a living example of the Bible verse Ephesians 4:32, “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Memorials and condolences may be sent in care of Gillette Memorial Chapel 210 West 5th Street, Gillette, WY 82716. Condolences may also be expressed at www.gillettememorialchapel.com