Valene Williams Evans

1934 - 2025

In the evening of November 9, 2025, Valene Williams Evans, also known by friends as Vi, passed away peacefully from difficulties incident to age. She was one month short of her 91st birthday.

Valene was born December 7, 1934 in Logan, Utah, the first child of Eldon S Williams and Leona Rawlins Williams. She spent her childhood in Lewiston, Utah, White Bluffs, Washington, Toppenish, Washington, and then Richland, Washington. She distinctly remembered that on her seventh birthday, Pearl Harbor was bombed. She graduated from Richland (Columbia) High School in 1953.

On September 13, 1954, Valene married her sweetheart, Charles Elvin Evans in the Logan Utah Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for time and all eternity. Charles, who was known as Chuck to most, had recently returned from serving his country in the Korean War. Their marriage was blessed with four children while residing in Kennewick, Washington, and Yakima, Washington. During those years, Valene was active in furthering her education, graduating with a Bachelors of Arts from Central Washington State College in 1974. She also served as the Republican Co. Chairman before her family moved to Kodiak, Alaska.

Valene was never idle. The mantra of the family was the importance of education and hard work. While Chuck served in teaching and administrative positions in public schools, Valene became active in PTA. Always an excellent organizer, she was elected as Alaska PTA president, and then as a member and later a board member of the National PTA. In this position she had the rare opportunity of traveling to Washington DC and shaking the hand of the First Lady of the United States. In 1976 the family, still residing in Alaska, embarked on a huge adventure-that of commercial salmon fishing off the coast of Kodiak Island. During the summers, Chuck and Valene worked together, starting in a small shack without any of the usual amenities, to grow a family business. To this day their children and many of their grandchildren continue to spend the summer months fishing.

While in Alaska, Valene spent many years as the Relief Society President of the small congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Later, upon moving to Mississippi, she and Chuck served three full-time missions for the Church; one in Australia, Melbourne, one in Canada, Winnipeg and a third in Louisiana, Baton Rouge.

Valene is survived by two of her children, Kent Allen Evans (Molly) of Noorvik, AK, and Cherie Charlene Simpson (Darren) of Blackfoot, ID. She is also survived by a brother, Eldon Blaine Williams (Orian) of Tremonton, UT, a brother, Richard Leroy Williams (Linda) of Richland, WA, and a sister, Dianne Williams Park (Walter) of Idaho Falls, ID. Valene is also survived by 15 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

Preceding Valene in death are her parents as previously named, her husband, Charles Elvin Evans, a daughter, Shirley Lee Evans Andre'(Michael), and a son, Dennis Dean Evans (Keena).

A graveside service will be held on November 22, 2025 at Sunset Memorial Gardens, in Richland, WA. at 2:30 PM. for family and friends. A viewing will also take place at the graveside starting at 2:00 PM. Funeral services are being provided by Hawker Funeral Home of Blackfoot, Idaho.