Frances "Fran" L. Evens

Funeral services celebrating the life of Frances Evens will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud. Chaplain Steve Yanish will officiate. Burial will take place at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis on a later date as scheduled by the Cemetery.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services between 10:00 and 11:00 am on Thursday at the funeral home.

Frances Louise (Van Diest) Evens was born August 28,1935 in her mother’s home in East St. Cloud. Her mother (Helen Van Diest) and loving grandmother (Emma nee Anderson Mossberg, a Swedish immigrant) raised Fran and her two older siblings. Frannie graduated from Tech High School in 1953. She went on to study and graduate from Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis as a Registered Nurse in 1956. She worked at the Swedish Hospital in Seattle before advancing her career in nursing in Minnesota including the Nursery at St. Cloud Hospital.

Fran married Ray (Buck) Evens from Farming, MN on July 25, 1959. They lived most of their married life in the Sauk Rapids area before retiring to Arizona. They raised four red-headed children, Jim (Deb) of Annandale; Jeff (Joanie) of Waconia; Patti of Buckeye, AZ; and Jon of Bena. Fran had four grandchildren, Mandei of Monticello; Mal (Ian) Holmes of Otsego; Megan of Tempe, AZ; Brandon of Prior Lake and four great-grandchildren Monroe and Ellae Holmes: Eli and Emma Evens.

Fran loved to crochet and was proud to sew almost anything for the family and their friends. She camped and fished like a champion.

Fran died peacefully at Quiet Oaks Hospice in St. Cloud. She was proceeded in death by her husband in 1997, her mother in 1998, her infant sister and two siblings (Elizabeth Andersen and William Van Diest).

Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to Tri County Humane Society of St. Cloud. A special thank you to the amazing team at Quiet Oaks Hospice for their kindness and end-of-life care.