Beverly Anne (Schmidt) Trask

In the early morning of January 12, 2025, Beverly Anne (Schmidt) Trask departed this world to finally reunite with her husband M.F. (Millard) Trask, who passed in January of 2012. Their love story began in November of 1948, after she boldly stood up her date to appease her best friend’s request to attend the wedding celebration with the charismatic Montana State College gentleman and local ranch boy from Ballantine, who promptly and completely swept her off her feet. For 62 years, Millard and Beverly lived a full and adventurous life with their family throughout Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming. Engaged within one month of meeting and married on September 10, 1949, they honeymooned along the pacific coast, settling in their first home together in Bozeman while Millard finished University, eventually moving to Billings at the expectation of their first child in 1950. Later they moved out to the Trask family ranch at Arrow Creek for a time before returning to Billings. The family moved several more times including to Great Falls and then Shelby, where they farmed before drought and hard financial times nudged Millard into the oil business bringing them to Casper, WY and Durango, CO, finally returning to Billings. The family enjoyed the outdoors, skiing, rock hunting, and  camping; Yellowstone National Park holding many special memories. Millard and Beverly also enjoyed traveling with lifelong friends, but family always came first. A petite woman, Beverly had an enormous heart, and her family was absolutely everything to her.

Born to her family living in Broadview, Montana on September 16, 1930, Beverly’s early years were marked by hardship and heartache. Her parents divorced at a young age, and Beverly lived the remainder of her childhood with her mother in a small and humble home in Billings, Montana. Despite minimal interaction with her father and several half siblings, Beverly was always close to her half brother Edward VanSky and his family, who lived in Broadview. Her older brother Freddy tragically died at age 21 in an airplane accident shortly after his return from service in World War II. Beverly was in the class of 1948 at Billings Senior High School, working at Fonks Ice Cream and Woolworths in her teenage years.

After meeting Millard, Beverly lived a comfortable and happy life. Together they had three children, a son Terrence (Terry), and two daughters, Gay and Lynn. Beverly was adept at caring for her family and keeping a pristine home. Never extravagant, Beverly made a comfortable home and took care of all of us. Caring for one another, her husband enjoyed spoiling her, and in later years Beverly loved eating crab legs, drinking martinis and a good wine, and shopping for the latest fashions. Beverly shined as a grandmother, loving her grandchildren immensely, spoiling them with homemade food and treats. They all have stories of laughter, memorable outings, and how special she made each person feel. She also delighted in birds at her many feeders, being outside in the sunshine, and traveling. Some of her favorite times were spending winters watching seals sunning on the California coast with lifelong friends and slow days among the cactus in the Arizona sun. Most importantly, Beverly lived joyously.

Joining her beloved Millard, their dear friends , and the family members that have preceded her on this final trip, Beverly is succeeded by her children Terry Trask, Gay Hamilton, and Lynn Walter (Kim), grandchildren James Buker (Jenica), Hailey Hamilton, Tracy Gatlin (Brandon), and Dawn Hamilton, as well as five great grandchildren, Kallie Buker, Abygail Buker, Colin Buker, Emery Gatlin, and Hattie Gatlin.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00am, Monday, January 20, at Shiloh Methodist Church in Billings.