July 17, 1925-April 20, 2018
Concord, NH- Son of Ira L Evans and Ruth (Buntin) Evans, he is predeceased by his daughter Heidi, brother Carl and sister Charlotte. Bob was born and raised in Concord, NH. He attended the Walker School and upon graduating from Concord High School in 1943 he served as a 2nd Lt. Norden Bombsite Instructor in the U.S. Army Air Corps in WWII. After World War II, he attended Dartmouth College and graduated in 1949. Bob took his junior year abroad in Switzerland and studied at the University of Zurich. During his year in Europe, he rode his bicycle through six different countries while sharing his post-war cycling adventures with his hometown newspaper, the Concord Monitor. Upon graduating from Dartmouth, he married Frances Maxfield, also of Concord, NH in 1949. Jay and Fran moved to Durham, NH while Jay studied at the University of New Hampshire. Upon receiving his master’s degree in New England Colonial History in 1951, he began his teaching career. His teaching years included Bartlett High School, Bartlett, NH, Pine Tree School in Center Conway, NH, Louisville Country Day school in Kentucky, Blue Ridge Country Day/Powhatan School in Boyce, Virginia, and the Shore Country Day School in Beverly, Massachusetts. In 1962 Jay began working at Dartmouth College in the Admissions Office. He was a long time advisor to the Ledyard Canoe Club which honors his years of commitment to the Club with the Jay Evans Service Award. He coached the US Whitewater Canoe and Kayak Teams at the 1969 and 1971 World Championships in France and Italy, respectively. He wrote one of the first books on kayaking called Fundamentals of Kayaking and, later, The Kayaking Book published by Stephen Greene Press. Jay was named coach of the 1972 United States Olympic Whitewater team which competed in Munich, Germany. During several summers in the 1960’s he was an instructor at the Colorado and Hurricane Island Outward Bound Schools.
Following his years at Dartmouth (1962-1974) Jay was employed by Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts as Director of Recreational Athletics from 1974-1987. Retirement years found Jay and Fran in Etna, NH and finally Concord, NH. Well into his ‘70’s he enjoyed running a total of 172 5K road races. He lived a wonderful life.
He leaves his wife Frances of 68 years, son Eric (Jessie Heller) of Putney, VT., daughter Anne Leonard, (James) of Jackson, NH. Two grandchildren Kate Hood (Alexander) of Dillon, Co, Nicholas Leonard of Aspen, Co and two great grandchildren Eloise and Rex Hood of Dillon, Co. and several nieces and nephews.
The family sends a special thanks to the entire staff of Havenwood-Heritage Heights in Concord, NH
A private family burial is planned. Donations in Jay’s honor may be sent to The Friends of Ledyard Account c/o Kathy Decato, Dartmouth College Outdoor Programs, PO Box 9, Hanover, NH 03755
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