Mary Ellen Evans
Mary Ellen Evans
Mary Ellen Evans
November 8, 1935 – September 4, 2014
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 78
Mary Ellen Evans, 78, of Oskaloosa and formerly of Des Moines, died Thursday, September 4, 2014 at the MHP Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa. She was born Friday, November 8, 1935 in Thor, Iowa the daughter of Gustav and Hazel Parcel Hegre.
Mary Ellen grew up in Cherokee County and graduated from the Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs in 1951. She then attended Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. and graduated from there in 1956.
Following graduation, Mary Ellen moved to Des Moines and went to work for Blue Cross and Blue Shield, now WellMark, and retired in 2004, after 45 years of service. She then moved to Oskaloosa.
Mary Ellen enjoyed reading, traveling the world with her daughter and socializing with the deaf community. She was a wonderful seamstress and an avid Iowa State Cyclones fan.
Mary Ellen was a member of the Iowa Association for the Deaf and National Fraternal Society for the Deaf.
Her family includes her daughter: (Denise) Ann Evans of Oskaloosa; five sisters: Eilene Grim of Waukee, Cecelia Markowski of Des Moines, Rose Ann McCann of Pleasantville, Deb (& Tim) Johnson of Cherokee, and Carla Hegre (& Mark Ochanpaugh) of St. Louis, Missouri; a brother: Ronald Hegre of Altoona; a sister-in-law: Garnet Hegre of Grovetown, Georgia; and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother: Glen Hegre; and two sisters: Evelene Hegre and Gloria Manusos.
As was her wish, Mary Ellen’s body has been cremated and no services are planned at this time. Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Iowa Association of the Deaf (Home Office Development Fund) or the MHP Hospice Serenity House.
