Nancy Bell Evans worked tirelessly as a civic volunteer to bring energy, grace, and passion to public and nonprofit service. A leader and innovator, she was a founder and chair of the Friends of Cancer Lifeline, national chair of the First Ladies’ Mental Health Month, founding trustee of Planned Parenthood of Olympia, and founder of the Governor’s Mansion Foundation.
Her passion for music was reflected in her lifelong commitment to the arts. Evans was a co-founder and board member of the Governor’s Festival of the Arts and was a trustee of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra for nearly 30 years. In addition, she was a trustee of both the Washington State Capitol Museum and Patrons of South Sound Cultural Activities.
Evans was actively engaged in the community and served on the boards of the Benaroya Hall Music Center, Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation, and KCTS Public Television. Her commitment to higher education and the University of Washington was also noteworthy. She was a former member of the visiting committee for the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, a member of the Evans School of Public Policy & Governance Advisory Board, and an honorary co-chair of the Evans School’s Campaign.
A Spokane native, Evans earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Whitman College, where she is now a trustee. She and her husband Daniel J. Evans were recipients of the 2001 E. Donnall Thomas Medal of Achievement from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, the 2003 First Citizen’s Award from the Seattle-King County Association of Realtors and the Puget Sound Business Journal, and the 2004 Legacy Award from the Rainier Institute.
She is survived by her husband, three sons, and nine grandchildren.