Irene Catherine Evans

Irene Catherine Evans, age 86, of Savanna, Illinois passed away Saturday, May 27, 2023, at home surrounded by family after a difficult struggle with cancer. The wonderful staff and residents at Pinnacle Place in Savanna made the last six months of Irene’s life much more comfortable. Irene’s family is also grateful for the care provided by FHN Hospice over the last few months. A Funeral Mass will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 2, 2023, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Savanna. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Savanna. Visitation will be held 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 2, 2023, at the Antl Hall at the St. John the Baptist Church, Savanna. Memorials may be given in Irene’s memory for charities that she supported.

Irene was born at home on the Whittle farm in Elkader, Iowa, on December 11, 1936. Irene was the daughter of Ambrose and Margaret Whittle and was the middle child in a family of nine. Irene attended a country one-room schoolhouse through eighth grade, only moving to the “town” school for high school. She is a 1955 graduate of Elkader High School. After high school, Irene worked as a telephone switchboard operator.

Irene met Joe Evans while he was working as a salesman for Interstate Power Company in Elkader, Iowa. On April 12, 1958, Irene married Joseph Evans at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Elkader, Iowa. They celebrated fifty-eight years of marriage until Joe passed away in 2017. Irene and Joe had a love for the ages and were truly dedicated to each other through rough times and good times. They were able to have fun and laughter was ever-present, including the occasional prank. They were able to do a lot of traveling together and had wonderful trips to Mexico, Ireland, Germany and Canada and were always up for a visit to see their children and siblings spread throughout the country.

Irene and Joe spent the first twelve years of their marriage in Elkader, where all of their children were born. In 1970, Irene and Joe moved to Savanna, IL, after Joe was promoted to a new position at Interstate Power. Irene lived in Savanna and was a good member of the community, participating in Junior Women’s League and attending the events sponsored by the Savanna Historical Society. She also helped out at the Thrift Store and Food Pantry.

Irene was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Savanna, where she was a member of the church choir, Catholic Daughters and Catholic Women of St. John, volunteered with funeral luncheons, and attended daily Mass and Bible Study Groups as long as she could. Along with Joe, Irene was proud to be a part of raising money to build Antl Hall through weekly Bingo events. Irene had a strong faith and a deep connection with the Blessed Virgin Mary, so it is only fitting that she passed away in May (the month of Mary).

Irene was a farmer’s daughter at heart. She loved nature and going for walks in the Mississippi Palisades State Park, looking at the Virginia bluebells and Trillium. Irene was an avid gardener, growing flowers and vegetables and fruit. If you visited Irene in the middle of winter, you might be lucky enough to enjoy some of her canned peaches or tomatoes and get a little reminder of summertime.

Irene was a legendary cook. She hosted countless holiday dinners, cooking pies and bread for the stuffing the days before and then getting up before dawn to get the turkey in the oven. Everything was homemade, down to the rolls and the cranberry sauce. Irene had too many special dishes to mention, but her chicken noodle soup with homemade noodles and a stewing hen was a family favorite.

Irene enjoyed walking around her block and chatting with many friends and neighbors. She loved golfing with the Palisades Women’s League. Playing cards, especially Euchre, was a favorite past time. Somehow, she was always able to pull off a moon hand for the win when playing bid euchre.

Irene lived a life of love. She was a dedicated and caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister. With six children and thirteen grandchildren, the number of wrestling and track meets and music concerts and graduations and awards banquets were indeed too many to count. She was a Cub Scout Den mother for several years for sons Pete and Pat. Children and babies were her favorite and at recent family get-togethers she could be found cuddling and cooing with the babies or playing with the toddlers. Every day Irene was doing something to help someone in her family or in her community. She was and will continue to be a supreme role model for her family of humility and selfless giving.

Irene will be dearly missed by her six children, Mary (Steve) Haas of Savanna, Paul (Paula) Evans of Algonquin, IL, Tom (Nan) Evans of Dawsonville, Georgia, Pete (Lisa) Evans of Jerseyville, Illinois, Pat (Jenny) Evans of Marietta, Georgia, Helen (Jim) Kovacs of Troutman, NC; twelve grandchildren, Margaret (Tom) DeMay, Anna (Kevin) Strickland, Katie Evans, Nathan Evans, Sarah (Andrew) Lohse, Megan (Dan) Kroll, Rachel Evans, Shannon Evans, Emily (Taryn) Stark, Alexandra Evans, Matthew Evans, and George Evans; and nine great-grandchildren, Rory and Gwen Stark, Vivien and Eliza Lohse, Charlotte, Brooklyn, and Lincoln Kroll, and Nicholas and Sarah DeMay. Irene will also be missed by two sisters, Helen Mueller and Marian (Richard) Brockman, and three brothers, Greg (Emily) Whittle, Lowell (Peggy) Whittle, and Francis (Susan) Whittle. Irene had numerous nieces and nephews that she dearly loved.

Irene is preceded in death by her husband, Joe; an infant daughter, Ann Margaret, who passed February 4, 1964; a grandson, Daniel Evans; one sister; two brothers; and numerous sisters and brothers-in-law.