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EVANS, NANCY JUNE ROBINSON Nancy June Robinson Evans, 83, a resident of Albuquerque since 1958, died November 19, 2014. She is survived by her two sons, Scot and Will Evans, five grandchildren, and two cousins, Ann TipTaft Robinson of Rutland, England and Sarah Cooper of Whitianga, New Zealand. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. William Oren Evans of Marina del Ray, CA. Nancy Evans was born in Hollywood, CA on June 10, 1931, and spent her childhood in the Pacific Palisades, CA, where she grew up as a child actress who won her first drama championship at age 8. Between 1943 and 1945, she played in the feature films Jane Eyre, The Sullivans, Our First Line of Defense, We Too Receive, The Man Who Walked Alone, Captain Eddie, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In 1943, at age 12, she auditioned for the lead role in "National Velvet," wearing high-heeled riding boots so she would be tall enough to qualify. During the next six years, she appeared in live theater productions in the Pasadena Playhouse and other venues. In 1951, she was chosen as a Princess in the Tournament of Roses. She then moved to Stratford, England for two years where she studied acting and Shakespeare. In 1956, Nancy married Bill Evans and they lived in Edinburgh, Scotland before returning to the U.S. to settle in Albuquerque. She worked as a librarian in the Albuquerque Public School System from 1977-93 and later as an executive assistant in the Philosophy Department at the University of New Mexico. A longtime fan and supporter of KHFM, the local NPR station, and a lover of nature, Nancy took great pride in her garden, which she called "an English garden in the desert." Should family and friends desire, memorial contributions may be made in Nancy's name to their favorite charity that supports nature or the arts.
        Published on: Sun November 23, 2014