Dec. 19, 1938 – Nov. 10, 2021
Sherril Smiley Evans, a beautiful lady of English Heritage, passed away peacefully on Nov. 10th, 2021 surrounded by her loving family and the music she loved. She enjoyed a happy life but experienced difficult health challenges throughout, facing them with grace, strength and a positive attitude.
Sherril is now made whole with the Lord and her spirit is onto new adventures, enjoying her parents, grandparents, brother and friends.
Sherril was born on Dec. 19, 1938 in Ogden, Utah. She was the oldest of two children born to loving parents William Francis Smiley and Elda Poulsen. Sherril was an adorable, happy child with big beautiful green eyes and thick brown hair. Sherril was gifted with a beautiful talent for singing with an amazing soprano vocal range up to High “C.”
During her early years, she won numerous awards for her outstanding singing voice and continued sharing her talent into her adult years, performing solos and participating in choirs.
During her adolescent years, she was a member of the Red Cross and was involved in the arts and drama in high school. She excelled in English and developed a keen intellect and a love of reading and writing. She graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in business administration and worked as a secretary for the university speech department.
Sherril met the love of her life, David John Evans, at the library, he told her “YOU are just the person I wanted to see!” and asked her on a date to a Theater play. David proposed a few years later and they married in the Salt Lake City Temple. Together they created a beautiful family of 6 children, 5 dogs, fun adventures and resided in Salt Lake City, Price, Cedar City, and St. George, Utah. They were happily married for 61 years and close companions throughout.
Sherril had a deep love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a beautiful testimony of our Savior. She and David served two LDS missions together in Colorado and England and she was faithful in the numerous church callings she held. She enjoyed many years of service in the St. George LDS Temple and a was faithful member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers where she served as past President.
She loved genealogy and worked at the Family History Library for many years. She was great at research and helped many people find their loved ones through family history. Sherril had a deep love of music and could be seen wearing a big, long smile as she enjoyed concerts, musicals and admiring the musical talent of others.
Sherril was passionate about books, enjoyed reading to her grandchildren and taking them on trips to the library. She was a master of the English language and for years, succeeded at completing every daily crossword puzzle in the newspaper during her morning breakfast.
Sherril is survived by her husband David John Evans, her children Robert Smiley Evans (Salt Lake City), Rebecca Evans Dixon (Salt Lake City), Susan Evans Galetka (Rusty, Cedar City, Utah), Stephen Smiley Evans (Brigham City, Utah), Elizabeth Evans Robinson (Matt, St. George, Utah), and Catherine Evans Peden (St. George, Utah). She has 16 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Viewings will be held Sunday, Nov. 14 from 5-7 p.m. at the Spilsbury Mortuary located at 110 S. Bluff Street, St. George, Utah and again on Monday, Nov. 15 from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. The funeral will be held on Monday, Nov. 15 at 11 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Morningside 2nd Ward, located at 881 S. River Road, St. George, Utah.
The interment will follow at the Tonaquint Cemetery located at 1777 South Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah. Zoomlink for funeral service is: Zoom.com, ID: 87672695707, Pass Code: MS2Ss
Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S. Bluff St., St. George, Utah, 435-673-2454.