CENTRALIA — 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 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;
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 was 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 sutherlandfuneralhome.com and the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home Facebook page