Joan Elaine Evanger

Born into the Winter family on September 10, 1945, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Joan Elaine Evanger spent her early childhood there before moving at a young age to Bellingham, Washington. She was raised in a close-knit family by her parents, Joseph and Blanche Winter, alongside her older siblings Nellie, Arthur, and Ralph, and her younger sister, Karen.

Joan’s parents operated the Holly Street Tavern until her father’s death when Joan was just 16 years old. Following this loss, her mother Blanche—suddenly a single mother of five—turned to real estate investing to support her family. Blanche encouraged each of her children to begin investing early, a lesson Joan would later embrace wholeheartedly and carry far beyond its beginnings.

Joan married at 19 and moved to Seattle, where she and her first husband, Gene, welcomed their only child, Mindy, when Joan was 24. After their divorce, Joan later married Bob Etherton, who passed away from cancer in 1988. During this difficult period, Joan and Mindy “took a little class,” unknowingly setting the foundation for Joan’s lifelong career in real estate.

Joan became an exemplary real estate broker, earning awards year after year and helping countless people buy and sell their homes. For several years, she and Mindy worked together as a team. Joan deeply loved her career and often said she retired “early” only when her health required it, at age 76.

Through her work, Joan met the love of her life, Gay Evanger. Beginning as her mortgage broker, Gay soon became her partner in business, in life, and in love. Together they formed a true team—working side by side, traveling the world, renovating beautiful homes, and enjoying the “occasional” casino visit. Joan jokingly referred to gambling as her “new career,” and true to form, she was as skilled at it as she was at real estate, winning more often than not.

After ongoing struggles with congestive heart failure and kidney failure, Joan passed away on December 23rd, 2025, at the age of 80.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Blanche Winter; her siblings Nellie Winter Clements (Walt), Arthur Winter, and Ralph Winter. She is survived by her beloved husband, Gay Evanger; her sister, Karen Kohler (Dave); her daughter, Mindy McClean (Jim); her grandchildren Timothy, Samual (Morgan), Emma (Jose), and Connor; and her great-grandchildren Emiliano, Santiago, and a baby girl expected in June. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

To say Joan will be missed by her family is an understatement. Her strength, warmth, humor, and determination leave a lasting legacy in the lives of all who knew and loved her.

A Rosary will be held on Friday, February 13th, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, February 14th, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Church. A reception will follow in Unity Place below the church.

Joan was a lifetime catholic and a parishioner of St Francis of Assisi Church since 1972. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to St Francis of Assisi Church.