Nadine Evelyn (Trovillion) Clark Evans

Nadine Evelyn Trovillion Clark Evans died Sunday November 10th, in Nampa, Idaho. She was 91.

Nadine was born July 9, 1928 in Kansas City, Kansas to Leonard and Thelma Reed Trovilion, the eldest of three daughters. Her early years were marked by significant economic hardship as the family made numerous moves across Texas, Kansas, Wyoming and Colorado while Leonard searched for work. When Nadine was 9, her father abandoned them, leaving Nadine to walk home from the post office, while he took the car, admonishing her to go home and help with her two sisters. The family survived primarily through the tireless work of her mother Thelma.

During this time the family had begun to attend the Nazarene Church, and as a young girl Nadine wanted nothing more than to move to Nampa and attend NNC Academy. She never knew how Thelma managed to find the funds, but she was able to move to Nampa as a sophomore to enroll at the academy, finish high school there and then enroll at NNC where Nadine completed a year of college. It was at NNC that she met Clinton Clark who she married in 1949. In 1950 Nadine gave birth to her daughter, Kathryn. The marriage was short lived, in 1951 Clinton tragically drowned in the Clearwater River, leaving Nadine with an 18 month old child. She moved in with Clinton’s parents, who farmed locally, and was able to complete a course at a business school in Lewiston before returning to Nampa with Kathryn to live with her mother and two sisters.

Nadine found work at the Magnum Clinic as a receptionist. She liked office work and was good at it.  She would continue to hold various administrative positions for the next 30 years. It was at Magnum Clinic that she met Philip Evans. Phil fell in love not only with Nadine but with her daughter Kathy and they were married in 1953, the beginning of 61 years together. Early in their marriage they both worked for the Union Pacific Railroad in Pocatello. It was there in 1957 that their son Perry was born. In 1962 they were returned to Nampa, in part to be in closer proximity to Nadine’s mother and two sisters. Once she had returned to Nampa Nadine again worked at the Magnum Clinic. In 1965 she began to work full-time for Dr. Fred Helpenstell and would work for him until her retirement in 1986.

Throughout their marriage Phil and Nadine shared a commitment to the Lord and to being involved with the church. Social activities were primarily with others from the church community, whether a church bowling league or helping support the many church sponsored youth activities as their own children grew older. Once they had returned to Nampa they became active members of the First Church of the Nazarene. Nadine served for 17 years on the Funeral Dinners committee for First Church, organizing hundreds of dinners. When Nadine and Phil retired they became members of the King’s Travelers Good Sam Club and enjoyed several years of travel and good fellowship.

Nadine and Phil shared a second commitment to family. Throughout their lives the annual vacations were to visit family in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, California and New York. In 1980, Nadine’s son Perry married Lisa Gustafson, a high school sweetheart whose family lived down the street. The two families became very close, especially with the arrival of two grandchildren, Courtney (1986) and Drew (1988). Nadine always felt blessed that they lived close by. Grandma and grandpa’s house, which was close to the local high school,  became a stopping off point for both Courtney and Drew. Over the years, the weekly calendar was punctuated with the many games and events that the two sets of grandparents and Perry and Lisa attended in support of their grandchildren.

Once she had retired Nadine took up quilting, making hand pieced and quilted works for each of her children and grandchildren. In some quilts she was able to use quilt blocks or material (hankies) from either her mother or grandmother passing on a legacy of both handwork and personal history. She also took up ceramics, initially learning from her sister Bonnie and niece Terry, producing numerous pieces of decoupage and hand painted ceramics. Nadine also left a gift of family history, writing out and collecting the life stories of her mother, grandmother,  sisters, and husbands families. She spent hours organizing binders of photos, clippings and memorabilia, leaving a document of the decades.  

Nadine was preceded in death by her husband Clinton Clark, her husband Phil Evans, her sister Bonnie Rice, and her sister DeLois Wynia. She is survived by her daughter Kathryn Clark and spouse Sally Culpeck, her son Perry Evans and wife Lisa, her grandchildren Courtney Evans and Drew Evans, and her great grandchild Aiden Jones.

As her health declined, in addition to the support of her family, Nadine was grateful for the care given by Complete Hospice, Susan Stuart, Cheri Crane and Margarita Castro which allowed her to stay in her home until her death.

Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday November 16th, at Nampa Funeral Home. The family will greet family and friends for a time of visitation on Friday November 15 from 4-6 p.m. at the funeral home.

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