Obituary

Evelyn Claudine Battmer (née Perry) passed away on October 15, 2023 in Kansas City, Mo., at the age of 87.

Claudine was born on September 2, 1936 to John William Perry and Cecil Marshall Perry at her grandparents’ farmhouse in St. Clair County, Mo. In 1953, she graduated from Appleton City High School at the age of 16 and worked at the local hospital for a year before moving to Lee’s Summit, Mo. There, she worked for the gas service company and then the Lee’s Summit Clinic until she retired in 1991.

On June 7, 1958, Claudine married her husband of 61 years, Harold, in a ceremony at the Lee’s Summit Christian Church. Together, the couple raised two sons, Kent and Brett, who were Claudine’s pride and joy. Upon retirement, Harold and Claudine traveled the country together in their RV and spent many winters in Arizona, where Claudine taught pottery classes. A talented artist, she painted many landscape scenes and created hundreds of pieces of pottery influenced by her love of the Southwest and Native American culture.

Claudine saw the value in everything — from oil lamps to turquoise jewelry to the seashells she found in her travels — and she had the collection to prove it. She was an excellent cook who made the best apple pies — which, like everything else, she always had to have with a cup of piping hot coffee. She loved music and dancing and would light up telling stories about her grandpa Willie’s fiddle-playing and her wild days in the dance hall at Monegaw Springs. She insisted that her sons, grandchildren and grandson-in-law waltz with her at every family gathering. She always led.

Persnickety until the very end, she is loved and will be missed by all who knew her. She meant the world to us.

Claudine is survived by her children, Kent Battmer (Tracy) and Brett Battmer (Machelle) of Kansas City, Mo.; grandchildren, Emily (Parker), Amanda, Hunter, Madison, Jenna, Ayden, Derrick, Ella, Brody and Rylee; and many other friends and relatives. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and dear sister, Mary Smith.

A visitation is being held Monday, October 23 at 2 p.m. at Langsford Funeral Home in Lee’s Summit, followed by a graveside service at 3 p.m. at Lee’s Summit Cemetery.