Leonard Bevaart | Obit

Leonard Jacob Bevaart

September 4, 1940 – April 20, 2026

Leonard Jacob Bevaart, “Butch,” passed away at his home in Enumclaw, Washington, on April 20, 2026, with his three daughters by his side. He was 85 years old.

Butch was born in Auburn, Washington, on September 4, 1940. Around the age of two, his mother, Lena Bevaart Manangan, passed away, and he was adopted by his grandparents, Jacob and Martha Bevaart. He was raised on the farms in Kent and Enumclaw and graduated from Enumclaw High School. After high school, he joined the Army where he specialized in Intercept Equipment repair. His service took him to places like Germany, Ethiopia and Turkey. Following three years of service, he attended Washington State University, where he earned a degree in Wildlife Biology. He went on to build a career as a general contractor and was known as a perfectionist in his craft. His motto was, “We do it right the first time!”

In 1967, Butch married Julia Rosen, and together they raised three daughters: Lena, Amy, and Emily. The family made their home in Buckley before Butch moved to Carbonado in 1999. For the past eight years, he was grateful to live next door to his daughter and son-in-law, Emily and Kyle, in Enumclaw.

Butch spent countless hours supporting his daughters at their athletic events throughout their school years and into college. He continued this tradition with his grandchildren, attending their school, club, and college sporting events whenever possible.

In addition to his family, Butch had a deep passion for hunting and fishing. While living in Pullman, he formed lifelong friendships with a close group of hunting companions, and his favorite place to hunt was near Republic, Washington. He also enjoyed playing in the local Over 40’s softball league and had an extensive collection of books on softball rules.

Those who knew him best would say that Butch’s greatest pride was his family.

Butch is survived by his daughters, Lena (Tim) McLaughlin, Amy Vliem, and Emily (Kyle) Darby; his seven grandchildren; and his sister, Marcella (Vince) Onofrio. He was looking forward to welcoming 2 great grandsons in the coming months.

He will be remembered for his strong work ethic, unwavering dedication to his family and for his amazing smile.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled and shared at a later time.