Dr. Jeanine Marie Vandevort passed away on Monday, March 30, 2015 at 10:00 AM in the Oncology Unit at St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, with her family at her side, after a one and a half year battle against cancer.
Dr. Vandevort was born in Longview, Washington on July 21, 1947 to Lyle “Dutch” Vandevort and Roberta Gorman. She was the first of three children. Jeanine was raised in Cathlamet, Washington on the Columbia River. Her family subsequently moved to Pullman, Olympia and Wenatchee, Washington.

Jeanine attended Seattle University, working her way through school as a food server. She relocated to Reno, finding employment in the gaming and food industry while continuing her educational pursuits.
In 1977 Jeanine met Greg Evangelatos, and after a one year courtship, married March 24, 1978. Jeanine then committed herself to becoming a school teacher, pursuing multiple degrees in education from University of Nevada, Reno, including a Bachelor’s degree in Education, a Master’s degree, an EDS degree and finally a Doctorate in 2008. Jeanine was the epitome of a lifelong learner.

She began her career at St. Albert’s Catholic Elementary School, followed by Brookfield Academy and Washoe High. She finally secured a teaching position with the Washoe County School District in 1990, teaching sixth grade at Stead Elementary for the next 12 years. After that, she taught at Lemmon Valley, then became a Literacy Coordinator at Desert Heights, and finally, in the past 6 years established her Read 180 Program at Katherine Dunn Elementary School in Sparks.

Her son, the light of her life, Gregory Michael Evangelatos, born in 1987, is now a 3rd year medical student at the University of Nevada, Reno, married to his lovely wife, Rebecca, and expecting identical twin boys in August.

Jeanine’s passion for education brought her to the National Geographic Conference at their Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where she was taught skills and tools to better educate her pupils back in Northern Nevada.

One of her favorite projects outside of the formal school realm was the “Kid City” program which she saw demonstrated at the National Planning Conference in Orlando, Florida in 1996. This program created a scaled city developed by the students and was placed on exhibit at the former Park Lane Mall. She received $50,000 in contributions from generous donors to fund this project, which was a massive success involving approximately 3,500 students along with interested parents. For her efforts she was presented the Outstanding Planning Accomplishment Award of the American Planning Association, Nevada Chapter.
In 2000, Jeanine was part of the first group of Nevada teachers to become Nationally Certified, a commitment to education that involved 1,000 hours of work, study, and preparation.

In the classroom Jeanine was most proud of her efforts in the Read 180 Lab. This program took children falling behind at grade level, and through dedication and hard work the students were allowed to catch up, and given the opportunity to prosper in their future educational pursuits. She also secured grant funding from a variety of sources including Michael Dermody of DP Properties, the EL Cord Foundation and Jack Trainor of Trainor and Associates, to provide upgraded computers and teaching equipment for the program.

Jeanine is survived by her husband of 37 years, Greg Evangelatos; son, Gregory Michael Evangelatos and his wife, Rebecca Evangelatos; her sister, Gretchen Larsen; brother-in-law, William Larsen; brother, John Kane-Ronning; sister-in-law, Susan Kane Ronning; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Our family would like to give special recognition to Jeanine’s coworkers and the staff at Katherine Dunn Elementary School for the visits, the cards, prayers and overall encouragement to fight the good fight.

We would also praise the efforts of the 3rd Floor Oncology Unit at Saint Mary’s for their support and patience over this past month to ease the pain and suffering.

Services for Jeanine will be held at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church, 1138 Wright Street, Reno, at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, April 8, 2015. A viewing will take place the evening prior, Tuesday, April 7th, at Walton’s Sierra Chapel, 875 West Second Street, Reno, from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM. Interment at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Cemetery, 2700 N. Virginia, Reno, will follow Jeanine’s church service.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Jeanine’s home at 1365 Hilltop Road, Reno from 2:00 PM until the last person leaves. You do not have to attend any of the services to come to our home.

Provide comfort for the family by planting a tree in memory of Jeanine Marie Vandevort, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.