Evalyn Grant, 90, passed away Tuesday, May 24th at her home in Centralia.
She was born Evalyn Norris in 1932, daughter of Joseph and Ruby (Daniels) Norris of Salem, and was a 1949 graduate of Salem Community High School. She received a bachelor’s degree in Music from Millikin University in 1953 and earned a master’s degree in Music from the University of Illinois as well as one in English Literature from the University of North Carolina.
A lifelong teacher of music, Ms. Grant was Director of Bands at Auburn High School in Auburn Illinois and at Northwest Guilford High School in Greensboro North Carolina; she also taught band, chorus, and general music and gave private vocal and piano lessons at the grade schools in Auburn, Greensboro, and the Centralia area. Miss Grant also served as choir director at First Christian Church in Centralia for several years. When not teaching Ms. Grant could be found in her well-stocked sewing and craft room with supplies for knitting, crocheting, quilting, and dressmaking; an Afghan or quilt top in progress could always be found next to her favorite chair for relaxing in the evening hours. She also leaves behind several original oil paintings and charcoal sketches.
Ms. Grant loved gardening and woodworking and was no stranger to power tools, having built several bookcases, garden trellises and quilting looms. One of Ms. Grant’s greatest passions in life was animals. She generously donated to several animal charities over the years and always doted on her dogs. Over the past three decades, she could be seen in the early evening hours walking one of several dachshunds she has loved.
She is survived by her children, Norris Daniel Grant of Kalona, IA, and Ava Joyce Grant of Centralia; grandchildren Jaianna Grant of Cape Coral, FL, and Jackson Grant of Caseyville; a sister Joyce Mulvaney and husband Jerold of Centralia; brother Robert Norris and Johanna of Fon Du Lac, WI; brother-in-law Kenneth Hershman of Indiana, PA; and several nieces and nephews.
Ms. Grant is preceded in death by her parents; sisters Anne Norris of OH, Ida Boyd of Salem, and Coralie Hershman of PA; and her great-grandson Jaden Lee Krause of Centralia.
Per her wishes, cremation rites will be accorded and no public services will be held. Memorials may be made to the animal welfare charity of the benefactors choosing and can be accepted at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home at 235 North Sycamore Street Centralia, Illinois 62801, (618)532-3523, who is honored to be of service to the Grant Family. Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com and the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home Facebook Page
