Colleen Evans

1927 - 2018

"Do not go gentle into that good night ~ Rage, rage, against the dying of the light." ~ Dylan Thomas

Colleen was born January 22, 1927 in Preston, Idaho, the youngest daughter of Ray Van Noy and Carol Christensen. America was deep in the middle of the Great Depression - Colleen's parents divorced shortly after she was born.

She passed away September 22, 2018 in Salt Lake City, her home of 83 years. She was 91 years old and died of natural causes.

Colleen was a brilliant school teacher and enjoyed the company of many friends through her long life. More than anything Colleen was most proud of her six accomplished and independent children.

She is survived by Janice Evans, Jayne E. Reznick (Mike), Reno, NV; Thad V. Evans, Tracey Evans, Shauna E. Douglass (John) Reno, NV; Brooke Evans, Reno NV. She has one grandchild, Ashley Farrell, and one great-granddaughter, Dylan, Sacramento, CA. She is also survived by her brother, Richard R. Brown and his wife Shirley, and their children and grandchildren.

At her request, there will be no funeral or memorial services. In lieu of flowers, her family requests donations to the Moran Eye Institute.

Family and friends are welcome to share condolences and memories online at legacy.com

When Colleen was eight years old, her father married a remarkable woman named Elsie Hogan Van Noy. Colleen was reunited with her two older brothers and they lived in a big house on "C" Street in Salt Lake City's Avenues.

Colleen grew very close to her "Aunt Elsie" and credited her stepmother with giving her joy and security she had never known as a little girl.

She graduated from East High School in 1945. She put herself through the University of Utah employed as a clerical worker for the Salt Lake City Police Department. In 1945, Colleen earned a dual certificate in Education and a degree in Composite Home Economics.

Colleen was a school teacher when she met T. Max Evans following his mission for the Mormon Church in South Africa. They were married in April 1951 in the Salt Lake Temple. They divorced in 1970.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Fawn and her brothers, Spencer and Lynn, her parents and stepmother.

Colleen loved spending time with her family and her many friends. She was a lifelong learner. She was an avid reader, especially any history written by David McCullough. She belonged to book clubs and studied for book reports as though she were preparing to take the SATs.

She was truly crazy about her many Scottie dogs, most especially Lucy, who went to Dog Heaven last spring. She was a great cook, gardener and she especially loved begonias, dahlias and zinnias. Colleen will be missed by all, tall and small.