Evelyn Marie Plewe Jorgensen was reunited with her husband, Vernon, on January 18, 2017. She was born on November 18, 1924 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Merrold and Annie Graham Plewe. She attended West High School where she met Vernon F. Jorgensen whom she later married in the Salt Lake Temple. She graduated from the W.H. Groves Latter-day Saints Hospital of Nursing in 1946; from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science in 1947. She returned to school later in her career and received a Master of Science in Nursing in 1975.
Evelyn's nursing career began when she became one of 65,000 cadet nurses to enter the United States Cadet Nurse Corps in 1943, a group with whom she developed lifelong friendships. After the war, she was employed by LDS Hospital where she worked in the medical / surgical divisions and the emergency room. She later taught nursing for 19 years at the Brigham Young College of Nursing.
One of mom's great contributions has been in documenting the remarkable history of nursing in Utah. Her histories include: Dr. W.H. Groves Hospital School of Nursing, A History 1905-1955; History of the Utah Nurses Association; History of Brigham Young University's College of Nursing Vol 2; Celebrating the First 100 years, LDS Hospital: 1905-2005, and a document of her experience as a cadet nurse in a section of the book A Story of Caring and Sacrifice: Saint Nurses at War. Mom received the 2014 Utah Nurses Association Historian Award. Her writings will leave a legacy for generations to come.
Evelyn was always active in the LDS Church. She served in many leadership positions, wrote and directed entertaining roadshows, served with her husband as a temple worker and as missionaries in the Salt Lake Inner City Mission. She was exemplary in the selfless service she provided to family and neighbors.
Mom's greatest joy was her family. She brought the family together each month desiring each member to feel of her love and to keep the family close. We are forever grateful for her love, her devotion and her desire to help us to develop close family relationships.
Evelyn is survived by her children Ginger Jorgensen, Dean (Betsy) Jorgensen, Neil (Deor) Jorgensen, Douglas (Sharon) Jorgensen, Ann (Greg) Bowles, Julie (Jason) Lewis, 23 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Vernon, two sons, Vernon F. Jr and David M. Jorgensen and a grandson, Richard Jorgensen.
Funeral Services will be held Monday January 23, 2017 at 12:00 noon at the Princeton Ward 1050 South 2000 East Salt City. A viewing will be held on Sunday evening January 22, 2017 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Larkin Sunset Lawn at 2350 East 1300 South and at the ward from 10:30 to 11:30 am prior to the funeral.
The family expresses appreciation to all who have assisted mom over the past several months; especially Nilza, neighbors, and IHC Hospice for their attention and care.
