September 9, 1934 – January 4, 2015
Born a coal miners’ daughter in Spring Glen Utah, on September 9, 1934, Elinor Tolich-Evatz passed away at home on January 4, 2015. The eldest of four children, Elinor was raised in the small coal mining camp of Latuda, located west of Helper, Utah in Spring Canyon.
Including the honor of being named Homecoming Queen in her senior year, Elinor graduated from Carbon High School in 1952 (Price, Utah). With the help of a scholarship from the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), Elinor graduated as a Registered Nurse from the Holy Cross Hospital nursing program in Salt Lake City, in 1954. A year later, she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing Education from St. Mary’s of the Wasatch. Upon graduation, she began her passionate and successful 40-year career as a nurse. Her love for people was expressed through dedicated and thoughtful patient care in OB, General Acute, and Psychiatric settings in hospitals across the country.
On June 21, 1958, in St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Helper, she married Ed Evatz, the love of her life. They are the proud parents of three children and two grandchildren. Elinor and Ed’s love of travel took them to Europe on several occasions and to the warmth of Mexico’s coast during many winters. Elinor loved music, singing, dancing, and playing the piano. When not spending time with family and friends or taking care of her many house plants, you could find Elinor with Ed at University of Nevada Wolf Pack sporting events.
Her strength and determination was unmatched, having persevered over fifty years of chronic back pain. She relied on her family and a strong faith in God to help guide her through tough times. Warm memories of a kind, giving, and special person surround her family and friends; she will be deeply missed.
Elinor was preceded in death by her parents John and Ana Tolich. She is survived by her husband Ed, sons John (Houston, TX) and Mark (Lisa) (Winnemucca, NV) and daughter Angela (Draper, UT); brother Vink (JoAnn) Tolich (Spring Glen, UT), and sisters Delores Ularich (Phoenix, AZ) and Stana (Pete) Stefani (Reno, NV), two grandchildren (Carli Evatz and Nicholas Robison), and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial mass service at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church (Reno, NV) will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 11:00am.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations, in Elinor’s name, be made to the Orvis School of Nursing, University of Nevada, Reno Foundation, MS 007, Reno, NV 89557).
A “Celebration of Life” service will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, in Helper, Utah on May 22, 2015 at 1:00pm; family & friends welcome.