Obituary

Evan Burton Winters was born on April 24th, 1938, in Afton, Wyoming to Erastus Francis and Margaret Burton Winters. On September 4th, 2023, at the age of 85, he passed away peacefully at home in Herriman, Utah. At his passing he was surrounded by his family, his wife Donna, daughter Deena, granddaughter Natalie, and Donnas’ daughters Tammy and Shel and her husband Mitch.

Evan grew up in Afton Wyoming. There he attended elementary school, junior high school and high school. He actively participated in school programs and events. In high school he was on the football team, he was a student body class president and seminary president. He also played trombone in the orchestra and drums in a dance band known as “The Clefs”. After graduating from high school in 1956 he moved to Provo, Utah and attended BYU until 1958. In 1958 Evan served in The Southern Australia Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints headquartered in Melbourne Australia. He returned home in August of 1960 and worked until returning to Provo for studies at BYU. He graduated from BYU in June 1963 with a degree in Elementary Education. While attending BYU he met Pat (Patsy Killian of Roosevelt, Utah). Evan and Pat married June 6th, 1963, right after graduating. They married in the Logan Temple. Then they moved to Midvale, Utah where they lived for a year while teaching in the Murray School District. Evan taught the 4th Grade. They moved back to Provo and Evan completed a master’s degree while also teaching at Timpanogos Elementary School in Provo. They had two children while living in Provo, a son Ian and a daughter Deena. In the fall of 1968, they moved to Shishmaref, Alaska where they both taught in a small elementary school for a period of two years working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Pat taught the lower grades through the 4th grade and Evan taught the upper grades through the 8th grade. While living in Alaska, during the summer of 1969, they added another son to their family named George.
In June of 1970 they moved to Taylorsville, Utah and began operating Meadowbrook Day Nursery. They were licensed to care for 40 children from age two years to six years and operated pretty much at full capacity. They operated the day care center for a period of 32 years. Over the years they cared for a few thousand children. They loved getting to know the children and their parents. Many community members still remember attending Meadowbrook. They remember listening to “Mister” reading stories, singing songs, and doing art projects with him.

Evan was a devoted husband and dearly loved Pat. They often danced to swing orchestra songs in the kitchen. In May of 1971 they added another son to their family named Brian. Evan and Pat closed the day care center on June 2nd, 2002, thus beginning their retirement. They had invested in rental properties and so they then focused on their rentals. Operating rentals was an interesting business and there was always an emergency to deal with. Evan was an experienced handyman and met all kinds of needs. During Evans’ years in Taylorsville, he served as Bishop of the Taylorsville 14th Ward, and also as Bishop’s counselor. He held several stake positions. He served as Stake Clerk to the Taylorsville North Stake Presidency for a period of 17 years. He served in many positions as an adult leader in the Boy Scouts of America, Great Salt Lake Council. He attended Wood Badge Training and earned the Wood Badge Beads. He also received the Silver Beaver Award for distinguished service in Scouting. Evan loved to sing, especially with his siblings, parents and his children. He sang with ward and stake choirs. He also sang in duets and quartets with ward members.

His beloved wife Pat passed away in November 2015. Complications from her bout with cancer in the 1980s resurfaced. She developed breathing complications from a cancerous growth in her throat. She was a great wife and mother and was a beloved member of their Taylorsville community. Evan married again on July 1st, 2016, to Donna Gay Catlin, a friend that he had known over the years as a neighbor and member of the ward. He had been a home teacher to her and her husband several times over the years. Donna’s husband had passed away a few years earlier and Evan was again assigned to be her home teacher. Donna and Evan became better friends, fell in love, and they soon got married. Evan was very grateful to have Donna in his life. In October 2016 they moved to Herriman, Utah. They loved Herriman and enjoyed living there with family close by. They were sealed together in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple on January 15th, 2022.

Preceded in death by his parents, E. Francis and Margaret Winters, wife Patsy Winters, brother Burton Winters, and son George Winters. Survived by his wife Donna Winters, daughter Deena Winters, sons Ian Winters and Brian Winters, siblings Allene, Kathleen, John, Bruce, Mary, Ann and Wayne, grandchildren Hannah, Josi, Paul, Natalie, Celeste, Alex, and great-grandchildren Evan, Alice and Charlie, and Donna’s children Tammy Westover (Rex), Shel Geisler (Mitch), Eben Wayne Powell, also added to the family dynamic is Donnas’ 23 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Evan will be greatly missed by friends and family who love him.

Funeral services will be held at the LDS Church 1250 West Atherton Drive in Taylorsville Utah. A viewing will be held Friday September 8th 5pm – 7pm. Funeral will be Saturday September 9th at 11am with a viewing at 10am. Interment will be immediately thereafter at Taylorsville Cemetery 4575 South Redwood Road.