JoAnn Evans, 77, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 25, 2023, in Lewiston, after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born Sept. 23, 1945, in Moscow, to Norma Headrick and Eugene Slade. She joined brother Bruce, then younger brother Jimmy completed the family.
After graduating from Moscow High School, JoAnn received a full-ride scholarship offer from the Julliard School in New York City, but instead chose the University of Idaho, graduating in 1968 with a degree in music. First, she taught music in Genesee schools, then left for Las Vegas to play her horns with several famous musicians, like Ike and Tina Turner.
JoAnn was full of energy and liked to move around and live in new places. JoAnn was active in the community, serving as president of the Moscow Rotary Club, the Gritman Foundation as treasurer and served on the St. Mary’s School Foundation. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star, serving as Worthy Matron, the Order of Aramath. JoAnn worked for Edward D. Jones as a financial advisor in the Midwest, then returned to Moscow where she married Hal Evans. She lived each day with joy and enthusiasm, using that energy to give back to many groups and organizations. She became a financial advisor for D. A. Davidson in 1998, retiring in 2012.
JoAnn’s love of music and her talent for playing a variety of instruments helped her find musicians in the Moscow area, so she began playing in area bands: Sesitshaya Marimba in Moscow and the B-Sides Quartet, which played often at Lindsay Creek Vineyards in Lewiston and at many civic events. Her enthusiasm for improvising music on her many horns and the energy she expended on the marimbas, including adding horns to some marimba music, was obvious to audiences. Music was the center of her days and created her wide circle of friends.
JoAnn was also committed to keeping her body in shape and believed exercise was important to others, teaching water aerobics classes for women at Gritman Medical Center’s Wellness Center. JoAnn never met an animal she didn’t love. Many rescue dogs were treated like royalty in her home. She loved her fur buddies who brought comfort throughout her life (even her Great Dane, much larger than she, spent much time in her lap).
JoAnn is survived by her son Brian Theisen, grandson Brian Theisen Jr., known as Junior, in Phoenix, stepdaughters Tracy Hastings, in Las Vegas, and Terry Grier, in Rock Hill, S.C., brother Bruce Slade, her husband’s brother and wife Jim and Vivian Evans, and her niece Patricia Evans.
Everyone is invited to a celebration of life from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 24, at the Latah County Fairgrounds 4-H building. Music and munchies will be provided by her many friends. Memorial gifts may be made to the Wellness Center at Gritman Medical Center, the Humane Society of the Palouse or to the School of Music at the University of Idaho. Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow is in charge of arrangements, and online condolences may be sent to shortsfuneralchapel.com.
