Evelyn P. Juell

Evelyn P. Juell, 83, passed away Monday, Aug. 1, 2011, in the arms of her children after a long battle with cancer.

She was born Feb. 14, 1928, in Windber, Pa., to Frederick and Gussie Eash Sakon, the youngest of three children. She attended school in Windber, a coal-mining town near Johnstown, graduating from Windber High School in 1946. As a teenager, she worked in the Berwind Mining Company's store.

She briefly attended the University of Pittsburgh, and then moved to Philadelphia in 1947 to attend the Hahnemann Medical School of Nursing. While there, she met Edgar L. Juell, a young engineer for Westinghouse Electric Corp., after agreeing to a blind date.

The two were married Sept. 9, 1950, and started their family in Ridley Park, Pa., where they lived for four years. While Ed worked for Westinghouse, they moved to Overland Park, Kan., then to Bethel Park, Pa. In 1963, the family came to Idaho Falls when Ed took a job at the Naval Reactors Facility, where he worked until 1990.

The couple had five children: Larry, Brian, Karen, Ken and Nancy, all of whom graduated from Idaho Falls High School and the University of Utah.

After arriving in Idaho Falls, Evelyn became active in volunteer work at Sacred Heart Hospital, across South Boulevard from Tautphaus Park. She later worked as an aide in the medical, pediatric and surgical departments. In 1970, she was hired by the Orthopedic Professional Association (Drs. Donald Bjornson, Charles Boge and Edwin Biddulph) as a receptionist, medical assistant and office manager. She worked there for 22 years.

She attended St. Paul's United Methodist Church, serving as a Sunday school teacher when her children were young and as financial secretary for the past 14 years. She was also active in the church's Stephen's Ministry.

She volunteered at the Idaho Falls Community Food Bank and the Museum of Idaho. She enjoyed quilting, beading, stamp art and traveling with family members. Evelyn also loved to bake cookies. After her husband died in 1995, she took hospice training and volunteered by doing office work for the Hospice at Good Samaritan.

She is survived by her five children, Larry Juell of Santa Cruz, Calif., Brian Juell of Reno, Nev., Karen Juell of Idaho Falls, Kenneth Juell of Shoreline, Wash., and Nancy Juell of Idaho Falls; and her seven grandchildren, Madeline Juell, Rebecca, Rachel and Benjamin Juell, William Menser, and Isabel and Owen Juell. Her husband and two brothers preceded her in death.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1730 St. Clair Road. The family will meet friends at the church at 10 a.m. Following the service, there will be a luncheon at the church. Burial will be a private ceremony at Fielding Memorial Cemetery.

The family suggests contributions to the Juell Memorial Fund at St. Paul's, which funds mission and church camp scholarships; the Museum of Idaho; Idaho Falls Community Food Bank; or Hospice of Eastern Idaho. Arrangements are under the direction of Buck-Miller-Hann Funeral Home in Idaho Falls. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.buckmillerhann.com.