Joy

After landing in Texas, literally just off the flight from our trip to Utah we heard from my parents that my grandma Evans wasn't going to live much longer than a few days. We knew her health was declining since she was suffering from bone cancer and in a lot of pain. As my parents got flights out and Brett drove back to Louisiana for work I stayed in Dallas with Emily and her family waiting to hear what the news was going to be over the next 48 hours. On the afternoon of July 5, 2011, surrounded by her children, she peacefully passed away and was sent back to be with our father in heaven, my grandpa, and their three children that passed at birth.
It was a bittersweet week that followed. With a flood of emotions. My grandma Evans full name was Beverly Joy Frewin Evans, but she went by Joy her whole life and she truly lived that. A few of my favorite memories of her are when we were little and in sacrament meeting or in the car, somewhere we couldn't get a drink, she would cup her hands together and say, would you like a sip of lemonade? I remember getting really mad when she would do that. And when we would visit my grandparents and argued with our siblings she would start singing the hymn Let us oft speak kind words to each other. I also remember that when I was eight and was going to be baptized I wanted it to be in Tennessee where my grandparents were serving a mission together because I wanted them to be there for my special day. And one week back when we were living in Wyoming and Caroline was little I went up and spent the whole week with her, just the three of us. So glad I had that opportunity. She was a wonderful woman I wish I had had the opportunity to know better. She served in the relief society general presidency, and served 3 missions, one with my grandpa and two on her own after he passed. And she would have served another too. I feel so privileged to be apart of her posterity, she had 39 grand kids with 52 and counting great grand kids.

I feel extremely lucky that just a week before she passed we were in Utah and were able to visit her. This is the only picture I have of her with my little family.

Love her so much!

This is a picture I found from way back that is one of my favorites of grandma and me.

Since we were just in Utah, Brett stayed home with Caroline while Gunner and I flew out for the funeral. It couldn't have been more beautiful. Really. The viewing was on Sunday night with a special viewing for the general authorities an hour before the public. It was such an amazing experience to be able to meet and shake hands with some of the general authorities. I was able to meet president Eyring, Elder Oaks, Elder Nelson, The Relief Society President Sister Beck and her counselors and President Monson came with his daughter. While President Monson was there he read a letter to our family from the first presidency. What a tribute to the truly great woman that my grandma was. President Monson told us that he would try to come to the funeral the next day but that he was a very busy man. As we can all imagine. But then he said, he knew his priorities. Which was so touching to me, he is such a sweet and loving man. Monday was the funeral. It was nice to hear everyone speak such sweet words and to hear stories of my grandmas life. And President Monson did come. And he spoke. He even came to the grave sight for the burial. Elder Nelson also spoke, who I didn't know this until the funeral and he was talking, but he was actually really good friends with grandma. And grandpa. He had known them since their courting days. President Monson spoke about grandma not being afraid of anything. How she trusted in the Lord. How when there was a new sister missionary who was afraid he would send them over to Joy's house to talk to her. And he said he had never heard of anyone anywhere who had EVER said anything bad about Joy. What an example she was. I miss her so much, but am so thankful for eternal families and the knowledge we have that we will be together again and that families are forever.

Some of the beautiful flowers at the funeral.

Picking out my flower.

Some of us girls with our flowers.

All the Foote family who were at the funeral.