Clear, 65° F
Doreen Gayle Nearpass was born July 30, 1937 in Powell, Wyoming, to Orrin and Mamie Hunter, joining her big brother LaVerne. She passed away peacefully and with grace while in hospice care at St. John’s Health Care facility.
After graduating from Powell High School in 1955, she attended Billings Business College which eventually led to her job at Security Trust in Billings. She met the love of her life, Bayard, while he was a lifeguard at the Powell swimming pool. They wrote letters to each other while he was serving in the U.S. Navy, building the foundation of their relationship which began when he was discharged in 1956. Their love story started and they married July 14, 1957.
In the fall of 1962, Doreen and Bayard moved to Red Lodge where they raised their three boys, Troy, Brent and Brian. They found lifelong friends in Red Lodge while still maintaining friendships from their years in Powell. Doreen loved playing bridge and going to coffee with her friends. She also enjoyed her years working for the Title Company and being a member of Red Lodge Community Church, U.C.C. where she made many friends.
Her passions were anything involving her family and boys. She always welcomed their friends into her home; many of the boys’ friends would still stop by and say hi to her in their adult lives.
Mom found joy in attending any event her grandchildren were involved in; sporting events, dance recitals, concerts and their religious milestones. Her most treasured vacations were taking the grandchildren on camping trips in their motor home. The Fourth of July was always a big event spanning many days at her home. The house was full to the brim with her kids and grandkids. It was noisy, chaotic and chock full of memories in the making. Doreen and Bayard spent part of their winters in Mesquite, Nevada, for many years. After Bayard passed away in 2008, Mom would travel with her friend Donna which included trips to the Rose Bowl Parade and New York City. She stayed active through the years walking and still mowing her yard up until last year.
Doreen is survived by her three sons; Troy of Billings, Brian and Shelly of Billings, and Brent and Marge of Red Lodge and her sister-in-law Bonnie Hunter of Red Lodge. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Britney, Katie, Ben, Austin, Brooke and Laura. She became a great-grandmother to eleven little ones — loving and cherishing each one as if it were her first! Mom will be remembered for her unconditional love and support and will be missed greatly.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bayard, parents Orrin and Mamie Hunter and brother LaVerne Hunter.
Memorials may be made to The Red Lodge Senior Citizen’s Center or to the charity of one’s choice.
Services will be held 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2026 at the Red Lodge Community Church.
We are all at peace as she is reunited with Bayard once again.
