Joyce O. Evans

Joyce Orlob Evans, age 100, passed away January 27, 2024, of natural causes.
She was born September 26, 1923 in Salt Lake City, the daughter of Rudolph and Gladys Orlob. She attended Rowland Hall, East High School, and the University of Utah, where she was affiliated with Pi Beta Phi Sorority. She worked for Miller-Ellison's, Makoff's, the Federal Reserve Bank, Industrial Supply Co., Western Airlines, and as assistant society editor for the Deseret News.
She married Sears Joseph Evans of Ogden in the Salt Lake LDS Temple November 30, 1944. Sears, a prominent Salt Lake dentist died in 1984.
Joyce was always a positive force in her community. In 1954, she served as vice-chairman of the Salt Lake County Polio Board, heading the annual Polio Ball and volunteer program for administering the Salk Vaccine. As a member of the Junior League, Joyce was a script writer, producer and director for their educational puppet shows and children's programs.
A patron of the arts, Mrs. Evans was a member of the American Society of Composers, authors and publishers and won ASCAP awards for compiling the American Bicentennial activity booklet and for the BYU movie "Pioneers in Petticoats". Two of her original Christmas songs were published in the December, 1973 issue of the Ensign magazine. She sang with the Oratorio society of Utah for 49 years, and the Utah Symphony Chorus for 14 years. She co-authored the program notes for the All-Women's Legacy Concert held in Symphony Hall and wrote the script for the Pioneer Memorial Theater Gala. She taught creative writing at Ensign School.
In 1962, Mrs. Evans was called to serve on the Young Women's General Board of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She traveled in the U.S. and abroad, training youth leaders, and wrote many movies, plays, lesson manuals, and music for the LDS Church. She co-authored "Century of Sisterhood", a history of the Young Women Organization from its founding in 1869 to 1969.
In 1976, she received the Rowland Hall Distinguished Alumni Award, and an honorary medallion from Governor Calvin Rampton for serving on his Utah Statehood committee.
Mrs. Evans was a member of several social and cultural groups, including the Utah Symphony Guild, Junior League, Agalia Mu, Classics Club, Friendship Circle, Darling Girls, Dinner Set, and Brigham Young Granddaughters' Association.
She was one of the owners and board members of Industrial Supply Company and served as chairman of the Employees' Benefits Committee.
Among her other interests were community volunteer work, tennis, skiing, public speaking, and entertaining friends with her original comic skits. "I hope I've made more people laugh than cry."
Mrs. Evans is survived by five children: Christine (Vern) Morris, Roosevelt, Utah; Dr. Timothy Sears (Melissa) Evans, Oakley, Utah; Richard Joseph Evans; Randall Young (Teri) Evans, Bountiful, Utah; Anne (Ira) Burgess, Riverton, Utah; sixteen grandchildren and thirty great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 12:00 PM at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah. A visitation will be held prior to the services at 10:30 AM.
Interment at Salt Lake City Cemetery
You can view the recorded service by clicking the Watch Service button above.
The family would like to thank the Beehive Home of Riverton for taking such exceptional care of Joyce in her last 1 ½ years of her life. Special thanks to Nelsa for going above and beyond in her caring for our mother. Also, Katie from Canyons Hospice Team, Thank you.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the National MS Society and the Epilepsy Foundation.
https://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate
https://www.epilepsy.com/give