JUANITA WALSH BAWCOM, 85, of Monahans, TX loving
wife, mother, and grandmother went to be with the Lord on
Oct. 12, 2004, at her home. She was in the Ranger High
School Class of 1938 at Ranger, TX but graduated from
Monahans High School. Burial was in Monahans Memorial
Cemetery.
Mrs. Bawcom was born Oct. 7, 1919, in Ranger, TX, to
Percy Dean & Lenora Grace (Haney) Walsh. She moved to
Monahans in 1936. She married William "Jack" Bawcom in
San Diego, CA, in August of 1942. At the close of WWII,
they settled in Wickett to work and raise their family.
At the time of her death, Juanita was survived by her
husband Jack, of Monahans, twin sons, Jerry & wife Vicky,
of Belton, & Terry and wife Connie, of Abilene. A brother,
Gene Walsh of Odessa, and 2 sisters, Lillie Mae Steen of
Odessa, & Violet Betts of Helena, MT. Also 5 grandchildren,
Jessica Inoff of Houston, Amy Bawcom of Belton, Courtney
Bawcom of Dallas, Brittany Gaskill of Dallas and Clint
Bawcom of Houston, and 5 great-grandchildren.
Juanita was preceded in death by her parents & 4 brothers,
Cline Walsh (RHS-1933), Dean Walsh (RHS-1937), James L.
"Pug" Walsh, & Gloyd Walsh.
SISTER: VIOLET MALIENE WALSH BETTS of Helena
MT went to her heavenly home on May 25, 2026, with burial
at St. Ann's Cemetery in East Helena.
She was born during the depression to Lenora Grace (Haney)
& Percy Dean Walsh in Ranger TX on Jan. 18, 1926. Vi was
the fifth child of eight children. She remembered a great
Christmas was when she received an apple and orange in her
stocking.
Her family moved to Monahans TX and she graduated from
Monahans High School in 1944. She especially enjoyed the
street dances where they sat on bales of hay. While she
was working as the Night Chief Operator for the South
Western Telephone Company in Texas, she met Matt Brydich
from East Helena, Montana, at a USO show. He left to go
overseas. While Matt was serving his country during WWII,
they kept in touch through letters. When he was discharged
and returned home, Vi took a train to East Helena and they
were married at Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church. Police Chief
Joe Pistelak and his wife, Mary, stood up for them.
Vi and Matt built a home in East Helena and she worked for
Fligelman's Department Store until they started a family.
They had two children, Mary (1954) and Matt (1956). Matt
and Vi divorced in 1976.
She met Donald R Betts at a dance at the U&I Club in East
Helena when Ray & Kay Gustafson were playing. They both
loved to dance. They married in April of 1978 & remained
married until Don's passing in 2021. They loved to dance,
fish, camp, attend Don's bowling nights and tournaments,
attend rodeos, play cards and bingo, and spend time with
their families. Don had five children (Danny, Iris, Janet,
Gary and Terry). They blended their families and especially
enjoyed attending all their grandchildren's sporting events.
Some early highlights were watching the Smelterites play
baseball in East Helena. Charley Pride pitched for the
team and played at the U&I Club in East Helena. Charley
went on to become a well-known country singer. While
working at Fligelman's, she delivered a fur coat to Big
Dorothy (the local Madam whose establishment is now the
Windbag Saloon & Grill in Helena) and received a $5 tip.
In the 1950s that was a huge tip.
Vi was a charter member (1951), life member and past
president of the East Helena VFW Auxiliary 10,010, a
member of Helena Moose Lodge 639, and a member of Sts.
Cyril & Methodius Church. Bingo was her passion. She
played bingo at the Eagles, Helena Moose Lodge, and
East Helena & Helena Senior Citizen Centers.
In her younger days she was very active in helping
veterans and youth through the VFW Auxiliary. She
helped with the annual children's fishing derby at
Melvin Johnson's Ranch and teen dances in East Helena.
She volunteered at the VA Hospital at Fort Harrison.
She later went to work in the kitchen at Cooney
Convalescent Home and retired after 14 years.
She lived independently at Eagles Manor for 14 years
and only moved to Beehive Assisted Living when she was
just over 99 years old. Even when she moved, she would
with her walker still independently ride the bus to
the Helena Senior Citizen's Center on Wednesdays. The
bus drivers knew her well and looked after her.
Vi started to decline in December. She was happy at
Beehive and appreciated the care and love everyone
showed her there. Mom celebrated her 100th Birthday
in Jan. 2026 with 80 friends and family in attendance.
Thank you to Eagles Manor for letting us host her
party in your dining area.
Violet attributes her long life to being active,
independent and not drinking or smoking-and being
stubborn. If you talked to Vi on the phone, she
always ended her conversations "May God Bless You."
She is predeceased by her husband, Don, her parents,
brothers Cline, Dean, Gene, Gloyd and James, sisters
Lillie Mae and Juanita, and son, Terry Dieckmann.
She is survived by her daughter, Mary Brydich (Jay
Kneifel) - Bozeman MT, her son, Matt M Brydich III –
Helena MT, one sister-in-law, Barbra Walsh – Lubbock
TX; Don's children: Daniel (Mary) Betts – Mesquite
NV, Iris Betts Barratt – Oakridge OR, Gary Betts –
Pensacola FL, Janet (Eldon) Price – Ferron UT; and
numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grand-
children and great-great-grandchildren.