Barbara Laub Evans

Barbara Laub Evans, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend passed away peacefully on January 23,2025, at the age of 93 in St. George, Utah. Our family is so grateful for the compassionate care that Barbara received from the nurses and staff from Enhabit Hospice, Beehive Homes Memory Care and Spring Gardens Assisted Living. Barbara's funeral will be held on Saturday, February 1st at 11:00 at Spilsbury Mortuary. 110 South Bluff Street, St. George, Utah. There will be an evening viewing on Friday, January 31, from 5:00 - 6:30pm and a morning viewing on Saturday, February 1, from 9:30 - 10:30 before the funeral.

Family and friends unable to attend in person are invited to join us live at the following link: Service Livestream

Barbara Ruth Jensen was born on November 5, 1931, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Raymond and Verda (Farnsworth) Jensen. She joined older sister June and later their family was joined by younger siblings Sherlene, and Gene. In the summer of 1937, the family moved to Sevier County where her parents leased a cafe on the road between Richfield and Monroe. A year later in 1938 the family moved to Salina where her parents Raymond and Verda built a cafe of their own. It was called the "Day and Nite Cafe" because it was the only truck stop along highway 89 from Phoenix to Nephi and it was open 24 hours a day. Although the cafe was a success, their marriage was not, and Barbara's parents divorced in 1941. Her mother Verda kept the cafe and the kids, and their dad left. Barbara said, "us kids all cried as dad got a picture of each of us and gave us each a kiss." She only saw her father one more time after he left about 6 months later when she and her sister Sherlene rode the train up to SLC to see him.

In 1943 her mother Verda married Geary Page and later baby brother Daniel joined the family. In 1947 Verda sold the Day and Nite Cafe, and the family moved to Southern Utah to try to make a go of farming and ranching. Barbara had many fond memories of those years in Enterprise. It was at a stake dance that Barbara would meet her future husband, Normand Laub. She was just 18 years old, had just graduated from high school, and had a scholarship to attend BYU that fall. Normand was 8 years older, had served in World War II, and had recently returned from an LDS mission to the Central States. Barbara had always said that the most important quality to her in a husband was that he had a testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and that she wouldn't have to drag him to church.

Normand and Barbara were sealed in the St. George Temple on November 30, 1949. They made their home in a basement apartment in Enterprise Utah, and a year later welcomed a baby boy named Gaylen (fondly nicknamed Junior). Barbara was 8 months pregnant with their 2nd child when a tragic accident took the life of their 20-month-old son Gaylen. Although he could not replace their sweet Gaylen they were so happy when Barbara gave birth to another son they named Craig. He was followed a year later by a daughter they named Janet.

Normand decided to try his hand at farming on a piece of brush ground 15 miles north of Enterprise. With only one car and Normand working late hours on the farm they made the decision to move their little family to the farm in Beryl in the Spring of 1954. They could not afford a proper home so they built what would later become known as "the tar paper shack". It was meant to be a temporary home while they waited for a farm/home loan from the Farmers Home Administration that was available to WWll soldiers. It would be 8 years before the loan would come through, so they spent 5 years in the tar paper shack which had electricity but no running water. While living there they had two more girls, a premature daughter that only lived 12 hours that they named Jody Lynn, then a healthy daughter they named Lynnette. They finally started building their dream home at the farm in June 1957 and moved in the spring of 1959 just in time to welcome twins, Larry and Laurie, in January 1960. Their last son LaDel would follow 7 years later.

Although their new 3-bedroom home was already full with their own 6 children over the years Normand and Barbara would end up welcoming 13 foster children into their home. While Normand ran the farm, Barbara not only ran the house but she did all the bookkeeping, drove truck, and did other tasks on the farm. She made homemade bread twice a week, cooked and fed her large family, and did so without the help of an automatic dishwasher. Barbara always said she didn't mind washing dishes because it meant she had food to eat. She also kept a very tidy home and yard, grew a big garden every summer and canned all of the produce in the fall. She was very proud of her home and yard and was very resourceful to always have them in order while working on a very tight budget.

Barbara was a beautiful seamstress and made all of her children's clothing. Every Christmas she somehow managed to not only make beautiful Christmas dresses for all her girls but also clothes for all of their dolls and Barbies. She taught each of her daughters and many of their friends to sew through the 4-H program. She was the queen of making great Halloween costumes and even sewed skirts for the entire high school drill team. She made beautiful prom dresses for her girls and even created a one-of-a-kind wedding dress for her daughter Laurie using only a picture from a bride magazine. She considered it one of her greatest accomplishments and after the wedding she entered the dress in the Iron County Fair and won the Sweepstakes ribbon.

Before Normand passed away in March 2002, he and Barbara would be able to serve two full-time missions: one to Eugene, Oregon, and another to Billings Montana. They were also able to do some traveling. They traveled to the Holy Land, Europe, Asia as well as Australia retracing some of the places that Normand had served during the war. In particular, Normand wanted to travel to the Philippines where he had lost his older brother during WWll. They were able to befriend some locals on their visit there and through Barbara's correspondence with them facilitated the opening of a branch and eventually a ward and now that little branch has a stake of the church in that area of the Philippines. Barbara took computer classes at Dixie College and transcribed Normand's journal writing from yellow notepads into a book that told of Normand's amazing journey at the end of WWll from revenge to peace. During her last few years, she quilted and crocheted making afghans for all of her grandchildren and dozens of infant hats which have been included in newborn kits for babies in Guatemala.

Barbara served in numerous church callings throughout her life. She served for many years in Primary, Relief Society, and even broke her arm roller skating when she was serving in Young Women's. She supported her husband as he served as bishop and other callings that took him from home many hours on Sundays. Barbara served for over 25 years as an ordinance worker in the St. George Temple. For years, Barbara and Normand drove the 55 miles each week to serve in the St. George temple. After Normand passed away Barbara continued to make the drive each week to serve in the temple. It was while serving in the temple that Barbara met a wonderful man named Gary Evans and in April 2009 they were married. They served for many years as ordinance workers in the St. George temple and also as service missionaries in the LDS 12 step addiction recovery program. They loved their little condo in a neighborhood in downtown St. George until their move to Spring Gardens Assisted Living in Feb. 2023 and then Beehive Homes in Nov. 2024.

Barbara was preceded in death by Normand and their two children, Gaylen and Jody Lynn, a grandson John Adam Laub as well as her older sister June Rasmussen. Barbara is survived by her siblings, Sherlene Clove, Gene Jensen (Daphne) and Daniel Page (Elna Rae). She is survived by her husband Gary Evans and her 6 children, Craig Laub (RueThella), Janet Campbell (Mark), Lynnette Judd (David), Larry Laub (Lynda), Laurie Ovard (David) and LaDel Laub (Leah Jane) 29 grandchildren, 68 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.

Arrangements were made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary. 110 South Bluff Street, St. George, Utah 84770. 435-673-2454. Family and friends are invited to share memories and condolences on Barbara's digital tribute page at www.SpilsburyMortuary.com