Evelyn Isham

Our loving mother, Evelyn Jo Merryweather Isham, age 82, passed away on October 10, 2026, at her home in Cedar City, Utah. She was surrounded by family after a sixteen-month battle with heart failure.

Evelyn was born on March 21, 1944, in Santa Monica, California, to Austin Lunt and Roetta Turnbaugh Merryweather. She was the second of four siblings and graduated from Santa Monica High School. From a young age she showed great interest and natural talents in the arts and theater. She loved to dance, and she especially loved music.

As a Primary child, Evelyn was asked to lead music in her ward. This began a lifetime of music callings in every ward she belonged to. She was heavily involved in music and theater in high school and college, where she met the love of her life and eternal companion, Willard Harte "Bill" Isham. They eloped and soon started their family. They were sealed as a family in the Los Angeles Temple on December 18, 1965. Bill's health declined, and he passed away from complications of kidney failure. He left Evelyn with two young sons and pregnant with their third child. She later married Dennis J. Petersen, and together they added three more children to her beloved family.

In 1969, the family moved to Cedar City, where they raised their children. Evelyn used her love of music and theater to encourage each of them to develop their talents. She delighted in watching her children perform in countless musical and theatrical productions. She also wrote and directed the family melodrama, The Poor Pitiful Petersens.

In 1990 Evelyn returned to California to help care for her father in his final months. There she met Jeff Anderson, and they married and moved to Toquerville, Utah. They later divorced. She lived in Toquerville for more than twenty years and was active in her community through theater and, of course, music. While there, she adopted and raised her grandson, Jordan. In 2020, at the strong urging of her family, she sold her home in Toquerville and moved back to Cedar City, where she remained for the rest of her life.

Evelyn was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings. She loved to share her testimony, especially through music. Her theater and musical talents gave her many employment and community opportunities, too numerous and varied to list.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, Willard Harte Isham; her daughter, Tanya Evelyn Isham Petersen; grand daughter Alia Grace Khater and her son, Lloyd Dennis Petersen.

She is survived by her brother Clair Merryweather (Pam); her sister Donna Stewart; her brother Charles Merryweather (Wilma); and her children Todd Harte Isham (Karen), Ty Willard Isham (Pam), Brandon Jerrold Petersen (Janae), and Shayla Petersen Gardiner (Todd). She is also survived by 33 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

The family would like to thank Zion's Way Hospice, Dr. Jody Miller, and the other medical professionals who took such wonderful care of Evelyn.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 15, at 10:00 a.m. at the Cedarview Ward, 1925 West 320 South, Cedar City, Utah 84720. Interment will follow at the Cedar City Cemetery, under the direction of Cedar Valley Funeral & Cremation.