Publication Date: Wednesday, February 13, 2013

  Former Grants Pass resident Miriam Dorothy "MeMa" Evans, 88, of Medford died Jan. 27, 2013, at Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford.

  A private family celebration of her life will be held. Abbey Funeral in Medford is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, P.O. Box 4777, New York, New York, 10163, or online at www.michaeljfox.org; or to the Brian Grant Foundation, 720 N.W. Davis St., No. 300, Portland, OR 97209, or online at www.briangrant.org; or to a charity of the donor's choice.

  Evans was born Sept. 15, 1924, in Canton, Ohio, to Thurman and Evelyn Perkins. She attended McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio, and nursing school in Los Angeles, but was unable to complete her schooling due to contracting polio.

  On March 11, 1945, in San Francisco, she married Robert Lee Evans, who died 12 years ago. For 32 years, she and her husband lived in Grants Pass, where she worked in her husband's podiatry office for 22 years. After her husband died, she moved to Medford to be near her daughter.

  She was a member of Lozier Lane Baptist Church and enjoyed knitting, crossword puzzles, flowers, gardening, birds and her "sweet" indulgences.

  She volunteered as a Foster Grandparent at Hoover School for several years until her health no longer permitted. She especially enjoyed her family and sharing photos and stories of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

  Survivors include a daughter, Cindy L. Wood of Medford; two sons, Gregory T. Evans of Daly City, Calif., and Jeffrey R. Evans of Portland; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

  Three brothers, Lester H., Donald E. and Ted A. Perkins, died before her.