JOAN EVANOFF

1933 - 2025

JOAN LUELLA EVANOFF (SACKETT) Joan Luella Evanoff (Sackett) of Bloomington, MN passed away peacefully on February 25, 2025 at Presbyterian Homes in Bloomington. Joan was born on August 22, 1933 in Coleraine, MN one of 9 children born to Warren and Luella Sackett. Joan attended Greenway High School in Coleraine, graduating in 1951. At some point after graduation, Joan met SamEvanoff in Pengilly, MN at a dance club. Joan was smitten with Sam and vice versa! Both Joan and Sam loved to dance. On April 16, 1955, Joan married Sam M Evanoff of Calumet, MN at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Coleraine, MN. When first married, Joan worked for Bell Telephone Company as a switchboard operator. Joan, Sam and family first moved to Staples, MN where they lived for 2 years. In 1963 the family moved to Ranier, MN where Sam had accepted a teaching job with the International Falls School District. While living in Ranier, Joan accepted a position as a store clerk/cashier at Harry Erickson's Fine Store. Joan worked at Harry's store for many years along with Arda Brown, Betty McHarg, Mary Fox, Ginny Jesperson, Butch McHarg, and Harry Erickson himself. In her later years, Joan worked for Northernaire Houseboats making curtains and cleaning houseboats. In October of 1956 Joan and Sam welcomed their son Sam J Evanoff to the family. 7 yearslater, in 1964, a new addition was added to the family, daughter Jean A Evanoff. The family spent time camping at Quetico Provincial Park, Lake of the Woods campground, and Kabetogama campground. Much time was also spent at Deer Lake. Joan had many interests including sewing & knitting, gardening, canning fruit, and baking bread. She was an avid swimmer, loved cross country skiing, and playing bridge with her girlfriends. Joan loved ruffed grouse hunting and shot her first deer as a teenager. She spent many hours fishing at her father's cabin on Deer Lake, MN. Joan was a longtime member of St. Thomas Aquinas Church. Joan was involved in many aspects of the church, including being a member of the funeral committee. Because Joan's husband was in the Alzheimer's Care Unit in Silver Bay, MN, Joan became actively involved in the Alzheimer's Association. Shewrote articles for the newsletter and was the organizer for the Alzheimer's Walk. Joan was the matriarch of the family! When in need, Joan took care of everyone in the family. She got things done. She was strong, determined, and loving (and some might say a little sassy or feisty)! She took charge when needed and whipped people (multiple misbehaving nephews) into shape!! Joan was an outgoing social butterfly! She loved meeting and talking to people and could strike up a conversation with just about anybody. The caregivers atPresbyterian Homes, where Joan resided later in life, loved her personality and enjoyed her bubbly demeanor and the way she would dance around. After retirement, Joan and Sam spent many summers and a few holidays visiting Alaska. They especially enjoyed spending time with their grandsons, Sam D and Jordan Evanoff. They were able to watch and cheer on the boys in many hockey games over the years. Joan was instrumental in having her grandsons learn how to swim. While in Alaska, Joan was able to land a Kenai King Salmon that weighed 48 lbs! Both her and Sam caught many sockeye and pink salmon. Joanie also spent some time up at the cabin with Sam & Kari mud-bogging through the trails in our side by side! She was a hoot to be with and we have such great memories! Joan also often traveled to see Jeanie. One early trip on which they embarked was the drive from Soldotna, AK to MN. Joanie convinced Jeanie to let her join in on the drive, when she said "I'll never have a chance like this again." They saw lots of wildlife, both nature and human! The first night in Yellowstone, Joanie was certain they were in the Wild West and some sort of brawl was going to break out. Another night was spent at a resort in Banff and it was one ofthe prettiest places they had seen. Finally, they stopped in Yellowstone to see friends, Cyd and Steve Martin and kids. Joanie especially enjoyed her time on the East Coast when Jeanie lived in Richmond, VA. They toured Washington D.C. and saw the many monuments. Joanie loved strolling along the reflection pool and pond to the Jefferson Memorial - was fun as well as reflective. She walked around the WWII memorial and found the MN Pillar and remembrance. It was during times like this, that she shared many stories of husband Sam and her brothers fighting in the war. Another trip brought her to NYC by train where she met up with Jeanie and they spent 3 days being tourists. There was a Broadway show, the Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock, the Empire State Building and so much more. Finally, they headed back to Richmond, VA via the train and Joanie got to spend time with her feet in the Atlantic Ocean. In 2012, with the help of her niece Julie Roy, Joan moved from International Falls down to Bloomington, MN where she could be closer to the Roy family. The Roy family valued the special time spent with Joan; especially her teaching Julie how to bake, cheering on the kids, and Christmas trips to Duluth. They were a very special family to her. In her final years at Presbyterian Homes, Joanie enjoyed the many visits from family members. Sometimes Jeanie would bring a dog along to visit, and her husband Ken would bring hisguitar and entertain Joanie and friends. Joanie loved music and would keep time or "dance" along to the music. Even in her final days, she was enjoying the music and singing. We all loved holding her hand when we visited and she clung on to any visiting family members hands until the very end. Joan will be deeply missed by all and is leaving behind her son, Sam Evanoff and his wife Kari of Kenai, Alaska; daughter Jean Evanoff and husband Ken Grinsell of St. Cloud, MN; grandsons Sam D Evanoff of Soldotna, AK and Jordan Evanoff of Kodiak, AK; a special niece Julie Roy and her family of Bloomington, MN; and many other nieces, nephews, family members and friends. Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Sam M Evanoff; both of her parents; and all 8 of her siblings (5 brothers and 3 sisters). Joan's family would like to recognize and express their appreciation to the staff and volunteer at Presbyterian Homes of Bloomington who took such good care of Joanie in the last few years of her life. We were very happy with the great care she received there. We would also like to thank and acknowledge the folks at Optage Hospice who cared for Joanie over the past 2 months and helped Joan and the family through the end of life process. They were so helpful and updated the family often. There will be a Celebration of Life for Joan on Saturday, April 12th at the Cremation Society of Minnesota in Edina, MN from 2:00-5:00 p.m. At that time, we would love to hear any fun stories you might have of your times with Joanie. Committal will take place at a later date at Lakeview Cemetery in Coleraine, MN. Joan's family would prefer memorials be given to the Alzheimer's Association or St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in International Falls, MN.