Evelyn Atkinson July 17, 1936 - April 10, 2024

Evelyn Atkinson graced this earth when she was born in a humble, small, home in the little town of Pocatello, Idaho on July 17, 1936.  She was the third child and eldest daughter of nine children in a family descended from the earliest participants in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Being related to nearly every Church prophet and many apostles, even those currently serving, her forebears are certainly pleased with the legacy she continued by following the Savior throughout her life, of Whom it is written, “… who went about doing good…”. *

Her first tithing receipt was at age six, for 25 cents.  At the age of eight, she was baptized in the font of the then newly built (Mesa) Arizona Temple.  In those early days, patriarchal blessings were provided to those at that young age, and she remembered going to the patriarch to receive her blessing, which was a comfort and guide to her, and which promises were gloriously given.  She would walk, by herself, as a child, the distance to the temple often to do baptisms for the dead and would do 150 names at a time.  As she grew, she would also walk to Church and recalled a meeting wherein President David O. McKay entered, and she could feel that he was “good”.  Completing a Church genealogy course set the foundation for a lifetime of family history and temple work, later assisting the Church in the idea to begin what later became the Ancestral File.  During her youth she received several Church Individual Awards; Honor Bee, MIA Joy, and Silver Gleaner awards; filled her banner, and was named Miss MIA Achievement.

During this time, she decided she wanted to make others happy.  So, she purchased a puppet set of ‘Snap, Crackle, and Pop’ from the cereal characters, and performed for school children.  This began her unique purpose in life.  As a certified expert in ventriloquism, muppetry, puppetry, marionettes, magic, juggling, clowning, and balloon artistry, she would perform at hospitals, recovery centers, schools, the library; for those sick, afflicted, injured, or suffering; then, at a large BYU gathering, or which was most loved – just for fun with friends – and always for free.  Once it was required to even provide her security at a performance.  She, further, thoroughly enjoyed teaching others these rare arts, who then carried them into their own lives and who, also, then continued to make still others happy – as well as sharing these talents on missions, and throughout their own lives.  Those she taught became her close and be-loved friends, and the feeling was deeply mutual.  Her special parties for family and friends are treasured memories.

Following Primary, Mutual, Seminary, and high school, she attended and also graduated from the Arizona School of Art, and thereafter began teaching art at the same school.  Expanding her talents, she became an excellent swimmer, could waterski, would rope a lasso, play the piano, ukelele, and started the violin, as well as sing.  After obtaining her private pilot’s license she flipped the plane around upon landing her first solo flight.  Already being proficient in various crafts, baking, cookie making, cake decorating, gardening, and a myriad of other unique interests, including sign language, she still, yet never stopped learning – having instilled in herself a continuing desire to always make progress and to highly achieve; even enrolling at BYU in her fifties, and taking online courses until just a couple years ago, which skills she used to still yet, make other people happy.  Voluminous county and state fair ribbons attested to the high quality of her work, which talents, too, she would share with others and her family.  These traits she planted in the hearts of her four children whom she was always teaching by herself, providing for training, or supporting in like talents; often taking them with her to perform or to be alongside her during service visits, even while they were in their young lives.  Her girls sat on her lap while sewing; she lay on the floor pushing the piano pedal up-and-down while they learned; she received her son’s scouting pin; she taught them family history while at the library, and so forth.  Achievements of her family were a lifelong priority wherein every effort was put forth to assure and ensure the successful attainment of their educations and individually varied, diverse, and worthy, goals.

She was beautiful, as well, and as a young lady when professional baseball teams would come to Arizona for summer practice, she would walk by the park and there was plenty of whistling from the field.  She walked most of her life.

The temples of the Church were an integral part of the fiber of her very being.  She would take her young girls with her to the temple to wait while she accomplished temple work and allowed them to enjoy the influence of the sacred House of the Lord.  Later in life, she volunteered for years at the Provo Utah Temple in the Missionary room, matching thousands upon thousands of slippers.  Even Church’s Visitors Centers became sacred places for the family.

Also, as an accomplished handcrafter and seamstress, she exemplified Tabitha or Dorcas in the Bible making gifts, as well as sewing tiny white satin vests and bow ties for little boys to wear while being sealed in the temple, and hand embroidered a pioneer doll for little girls to enjoy, which remained in the youth center nearly twenty years.

Temple groundbreakings, construction phases, open houses, dedications, and early attendance were shared joys and memories of hers and her daughters, as they traveled around Utah to make it to as many as they possibly could; and as many as the Church provided remote access to such as the Nauvoo and Palmyra Temples, as well.  Her first open house was during the first rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple, when she took her daughter Judy with her, and her last was visiting the construction grounds of the Orem Utah Temple, also with her same daughter.  She has additionally participated in breaking ground, thereafter, for both the Mount Timpanogos and Provo City Center Temples.  Further, she attended the Salt Lake Temple on its 100^th Anniversary, and again during its last month open before closing for renovation.  The family attended the grand occurrence of a Solemn Assembly for sustaining a new prophet, as well as general conferences.  An immense joy of hers was simply walking around and through the temple grounds and gardens with her daughters.  Still yet, the fragrance of flowers, the soft sound of birds, the stillness of the paths, brings back the feelings to her family that such walks engendered.  God’s nature and critters were also shared memories, especially through and during the colors and manifold senses that the change of seasons provide.

Enjoying fine arts was also well attended and encouraged, just as often as were sporting competitions, and as much as holiday parades, floats, Christmas displays, Olympics, alongside many Church history special events, and quality museum exhibits.   Her talent for writing Christmas plays was known and requested, as was her support of the youth.

Her sense of humor was quick, witty, and unexpected which added to the surprise of the moment.  Her smile and eyes carried with it a radiant flow of love to those blessed to even be around it; and the squeeze of her fingers instilled security, care, comfort, and faith, when there was no voice to relay it.  Her example of making the world a better place by her being in it, is a simple yet powerful lesson from one whose joy in life was in following the Savior’s pattern and who, also, then went about doing good.  Just as He, she, also, loved children – and they, too, loved her.

Her unending courage, strength, fortitude, faith, and spiritual resilience throughout her life, up to the very second of her passing, and in the face of nearly unbearable trials and extreme challenges is a validation of her testimony and personal connection with Heaven.  Her extreme patience throughout her last and repeated health complexities was, and is, awe-inspiring.  Her favorite buddy was her ever-present friend and daughter, Judy, who was blessed to enjoy her precious companionship, and who loved her back with all her heart and soul.  Yet, she loved all her children with an eternal connection, and friendship, that never grew old, as she never grew old – she just got closer to Heaven.

Evelyn is preceded in passing by her son Dr. Roscoe D. Atkinson, and all her ancestors and parental family members, except one.  She is survived by her three daughters:  Phyllis Atkinson of Utah, Judy Atkinson of Utah, and Laura (Terry) Holt of Arkansas; also, grandson Roscoe B. (Sandra) Atkinson, and granddaughter Sarah (Heath) Kellerman.  Her five great-grandchildren are Austin, Emily, Corbin, and Hunter Atkinson, as well as Justin Gehringer.  Oh, yes – and one grand-doggy, Allie.  Her legacy left to family and friends is to leave the world a better place because you lived in it.  She has now ‘walked’ back to her cherished Savior whom she loved, loves, follows, and knows – very well.

It’s a good thing her daughter wrote this, though, because she would say it was too much.  And then, also, likely say, “I just want to make others happy”.

Services will be at her ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Payson, Utah, on Monday, April 22^nd.  Burial and her resting place, until the Second Coming, will be in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, on Tuesday, April 23^rd.

*Acts 10:38