Norman Richard Evans
1932 - 2014
Norman Richard Evans
1932 - 2014
In Loving Memory
Salt Lake
City, UT-Norman 'Non' Richard Evans, our loving father, grandfather,
great-grandfather, and friend passed away living life to the fullest on August 4, 2014.
Norman was born on May 11, 1932 to Beatrice Payne Evans
and Ansel Leroy Evans in Ogden, Utah.
He was one of 8 siblings; he had 4 brothers and 3 sisters. He married the love
of his life Beverlee Jean Johnson Evans in September 1952. Together they had
three children. Norman was a
skilled boxer in his youth and worked with the State of Utah
D.O.T. as a respected welder for over 30 years. Norman
loved dancing, camping, boating, spending time outdoors, and was an avid
fishermen and swimmer. He loved spending time with his family and spent many
hours passing on his love for nature, fishing and the water to his
grandchildren, who will be forever grateful for having him as a grandpa. He was
a great friend to many and his amazing storytelling, sharp personality, and
honest advice will be deeply missed. Norman
was a member of the LDS church and will be dancing with his wife Beverlee for
time and all eternity.
Norman is preceded in death by his wife Beverlee, daughter Nonalee, three
brothers- Ross, Robert, Gene , and three sisters Jolene (Sis), Sharon, and
Jeannette. He is survived by his brother Jerry, children Scott (Teresa) Evans,
Mickeleen ( special son-in-law, Joe) Thomas, grandchildren- Charice, Michelle,
Ashely, Tyler, Daniel, Lennon, Matt, and Julia, great grandchildren, and many
dear friends.
A service to honor Norman's life
will be held Redwood Memorial Mortuary on Friday August 8, 2014 at 11:00
A.M. with a viewing to be held one hour prior to services.
A celebration of Norman's life will
be held following the service at his daughter's home (4580
S. Thousand Oaks Drive Salt Lake City, Utah
84124).
It has barely been over a week since I received the shocking news that my sassy, loving, and very active grandpa had passed away. This is the first time in my life that someone I have really loved has passed away unexpectedly and also the first time that Stella has lost someone that she knew and loved. I have been surprised actually how sad I have felt this week. I'm not sure why. Maybe it is because now that both my grandparents are gone I feel like it is the end of a particular time in my life. Anyway, I don't know why but I am feeling more empty than I ever thought I would.
Stella and I were lucky enough to visit my grandpa one week before he died. My grandpa had been saving his coupons for me and every few weeks I would head over to see him and pick up coupons. We always had a really nice visit. I have loved these visits because we've spent a lot of time chatting about everything from the very important to the very unimportant. Stella loved going over to his house and picking fruit from his trees. So while we were there last time, Grandpa took us outside and they picked some fruit. The light was lovely so I took some pictures. They are the last pictures taken of him.
Grandpa then made us ice cream cones and Stella did a dance performance for him. It was to a High School Musical song and since it was filmed at East High, I had Stella ask Grandpa if he knew anyone that went to East High. He said: "My wife, your great grandma went to East High, and she was the best dancer in the school." And the way he said it was filled with such love that it totally struck me. Those two were high school sweethearts, and I know my grandpa missed my grandma more than anything. As we were walking out of his house, Stella told me that she couldn't wait to go back and she already knew which song she wanted to sing for him the next time we came over.
I have so many amazing memories of my grandpa as a young child. He made everything fun and like a game for us. My favorite thing that he did was to take us on walks to the "secret place" which was actually just a little river in their neighborhood that you had to use a half-hidden walkway to get to (very secret and exclusive). We would each pick a stick, throw it in the river and then watch them float down the current in a race.
My grandparents loved to camp, boat, and fish. I think to this day that my early memories, although very good, are the reasons that I don't really like to camp, boat, and fish. In fact, this week I have really been digging up some old memories that I had completely forgotten about. Like being stuck on the boat all day with NO food and the only thing to eat on the boat was Velveeta cheese (which was really for the fish) and being absolutely starving. I remember getting seasick and Grandma making me a little bed by the co-pilot seat to rest in while I wanted to die. I also remember having to go to the bathroom so bad but I was of course stuck on the boat. I had Grandpa yelling at me to just "pee in the bucket!" and I just couldn't do it. To this day, I seem to have a fear of being stuck places where I can't go to the bathroom. Of course, I also got to drive the boat sometimes and also caught my fair share of fish. So it wasn't all bad.
I did love being in the motor home. I loved sitting on the top bed above the driver's seat while Grandpa drove and watching the road fly by beneath me. I remember waking up and having it be so cold outside of my sleeping bag and watching Grandma cook up Jimmy Dean sausage while I dreaded getting out of bed. (I have never even considered buying anything but Jimmy Dean sausage because my grandparents told me that it was the best.) Funny enough, even though I hate boats I freaking love motor homes.
Of course, no amount of wonderful childhood memories will ever compare to the joy I felt being in the temple with my grandpa and watching him be sealed to my dad, grandma, and aunt. It felt surreal in the best way. My grandpa always supported me growing up when I spoke in church or with my mission, but all that time, he never really wanted to be one of those Mormons. It was amazing to see his heart softened and humbled as he made covenants in the temple. I also adored sitting next to him in the Draper temple at Tyler's wedding.
Stella says her best memories of Grandpa are how he came to her and Ava's birthday parties, how he smiled at her, and how he often laughed so hard that he would clap along with the laughter. She does a pretty good impression of it actually. I will NEVER forget his face along with my grandma's face the moment they first saw Stella. Oh how they loved her. It was the first time I even had any idea how much they loved me. I know that they are always going to be watching out for her and keeping her safe.
I wrote a book in school in about first or second grade and gave it to my grandpa for Christmas. It was called
Ann's First Fish, and it was based on a true story of us fishing together. My favorite line from it is: "Once in a city there lived a girl named Ann, she was five years old and her favorite friend was her grandpa."
This is a picture of me giving my grandpa his book:
I am so sad he is gone, but so happy that he isn't in that house alone
anymore. I know the moment he saw my grandma he didn't look back. I'm
sure that reunion was sweet. I count myself lucky to have known them
both. To have been loved unconditionally by them was a great gift from
my Heavenly Father.
Norman Richard Evans
1932 - 2014 |
Obituary
|
Condolences
In Loving Memory
Salt Lake City, UT-Norman 'Non' Richard
Evans, our loving father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend
passed away living life to the fullest on August 4, 2014.
Norman was
born on May 11, 1932 to Beatrice Payne Evans and Ansel Leroy Evans in
Ogden, Utah. He was one of 8 siblings; he had 4 brothers and 3 sisters.
He married the love of his life Beverlee Jean Johnson Evans in September
1952. Together they had three children. Norman was a skilled boxer in
his youth and worked with the State of Utah D.O.T. as a respected welder
for over 30 years. Norman loved dancing, camping, boating, spending
time outdoors, and was an avid fishermen and swimmer. He loved spending
time with his family and spent many hours passing on his love for
nature, fishing and the water to his grandchildren, who will be forever
grateful for having him as a grandpa. He was a great friend to many and
his amazing storytelling, sharp personality, and honest advice will be
deeply missed. Norman was a member of the LDS church and will be dancing
with his wife Beverlee for time and all eternity.
Norman is
preceded in death by his wife Beverlee, daughter Nonalee, three
brothers- Ross, Robert, Gene , and three sisters Jolene (Sis), Sharon,
and Jeannette. He is survived by his brother Jerry, children Scott
(Teresa) Evans, Mickeleen ( special son-in-law, Joe) Thomas,
grandchildren- Charice, Michelle, Ashely, Tyler, Daniel, Lennon, Matt,
and Julia, great grandchildren, and many dear friends.
A service to
honor Norman's life will be held Redwood Memorial Mortuary on Friday
August 8, 2014 at 11:00 A.M. with a viewing to be held one hour prior to
services.
A celebration of Norman's life will be held following the
service at his daughter's home (4580 S. Thousand Oaks Drive Salt Lake
City, Utah 84124).
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/saltlaketribune/obituary.aspx?pid=171987581#sthash.4nEa7tij.dpuf
