David Cannon Evans died October 3, 1998 following a long and courageous struggle with Alzheimers Disease. Throughout his illness, Dave showed the same remarkable personal strengths that characterized the rest of his life; he appreciated the beauty of the world, approached life with humor and good spirits, and was patient, kind and thoughtful of others. Throughout his life he acted with integrity and diligence.
Dave was born on February 24, 1924, to David W. and Beatrice Cannon Evans. He served in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II. On March 21, 1947 he married Joy Frewin in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family always came first for Dave. He and Joy are the parents of ten children and a foster son and daughter. Dave was preceded in death by his parents and his children John, Amy and Michael.He is survived by his wife, Joy, who has provided untiring care for the past many years; and his children Clark and Gayle Gable, (Salt Lake City, UT), Gordon and Susan Foote (Flower Mound, TX), David and Mary Evans (Salt Lake City, UT, currently serving in the Japan, Nagoya Mission), Anne and Russell Brown (Palo Alto, CA), Peter and Linda Evans (Salt Lake City, UT), Douglas and Beverly Evans (Fort Collins, CO), David and Katherine Orchard (Salt Lake City, UT), Louise Tortice (Salt Lake City, UT), Derl Tortice (Pine Top, AZ); 37 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers, Robert C. Evans, Edmund (Ted) C. Evans, Wayne C. Evans, all of Salt Lake City, and Carlton C. Evans (Berkeley, CA).
Service to others and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ were important throughout Dave's life. He served as a branch president, as counselor in two bishoprics and in two stake presidencies. He was a scoutmaster for 27 years, earning one of scoutings highest awards, the Silver Beaver, and the love of many boys and the men with whom he served. Dave and Joy also served an LDS mission in the Tennessee, Nashville Mission, 1991-92. Dave had a great love of learning and teaching and earned the respect of many. His colleagues spanned the globe. He was a professor at the University of California Berkeley and established and chaired the Department of Computer Science at the University of Utah. He co-founded Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation with Ivan Sutherland in 1968 and served on the boards of many companies and organizations. He took pleasure in the fact that many of his students became leaders in computer graphics research and creators of successful businesses of their own. In 1996, an endowed chair was established in his name at Brigham Young University. Among his many professional awards were the 1996 Computerworld Smithsonian Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Mountain West Venture Groups Entrepreneur of the Decade 1981-1990, the Utah Modern Pioneer Award, the 1989 ACM/Siggraph Steven Anson Coons Award for Outstanding Creative Contributions and the 1986 IEEE Emanuel R. Piore Award.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the Garden Terrace Alzheimers Center of Excellence and the home nursing staff of IHC for their extraordinary care. In lieu of flowers, the family would be pleased to have contributions made in Dave's honor to the David C. Evans Chair at Brigham Young University or the David C. Evans Scholarship Fund for Alzheimers patient care-givers being established for employees of the Garden Terrace Alzheimers Center of Excellence.
Funeral services will be held at 12 noon on Wednesday, October 7, 1998 at the Valley View LDS Stake Center, 2245 East 3900 South. Family and friends may call on Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, 3401 South Highland Drive and at the Stake Center on Wednesday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. prior to services. Interment Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.
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