Our beloved Joan Marie (Gageby) Evans of Edina, Minnesota, age 68, went home to the Lord on April 7, 2020, after battling stage 4 metastatic breast cancer for almost three years.

She was the youngest child of Earl and Helen (Glaser) Gageby. She was raised in Ward, South Dakota, where she graduated from Flandreu High School and went on to study nursing and sociology at the University of South Dakota, where she was also a Kappa Alpha Theta member. She then continued her education at the University of Minnesota, earning her master’s degree in nursing education and administration.

Joan excelled as director of nursing at North Memorial Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but humbly set her career to the side to raise her three adoring children, which was her main and most rewarding “job.” As the kids grew up, she went back into the field of nursing, first as a home healthcare nurse, and then on to Fairview Southdale’s Breast Center, after surviving her first battle with breast cancer in 1999. She finally finished out the latter part of her career in the Care Suites, retiring from Fairview Southdale only a few short months ago in December of 2019.

Her co-workers have attested that she was the sweetest, most caring, compassionate, and wonderful nurse and friend. Always smiling and so full of life even on the busiest of days as charge nurse, she earned the Alison Haddon Excellence in Nursing Award in 2016.

She was an avid Minnesota sports fan, she knew the backgrounds and stats of almost every player across Gopher Football/Basketball, the Twins, T-Wolves, and her beloved Vikings. But people best knew Joan for her unwavering faith and love for Jesus. She showed us all what it meant to find our strength in the Lord and to be a devoted, obedient servant of Christ. She radiated His light, love, and compassion always. Even in the midst of her suffering, she continually expressed gratitude and thankfulness. She was a bright spot in so many lives and an inspiration to all who knew her. She leaves behind the best gift: her legacy of faith - a foundation for her children, sons-in-law, and grandchildren to base their lives on.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)

Joan is survived by her three children, Macey (Mike) Reynolds, Allison (Andrew) McKay, and Rob Evans; five (almost six) grandchildren; sisters Barbara Severson, Mary Ellen Janklow, and Shirley (Jake) Creedon; mother-in-law, Mary Ellen Evans; and a host of friends, relatives, and colleagues.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Helen Gageby of Ward, South Dakota; her brother, Chuck Gageby of Ward, South Dakota; and father-in-law, Robert L. Evans of Davenport, Iowa.

A Celebration of Joan’s life will be held on a future date when all can gather at Christ Presbyterian Church in Edina, Minnesota.

*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.

Please enter the amount you would like to give and click continue.