Sheila Evans

f/k/a Sheila Cronkright

On November 5, 2020, Sheila Mae Evans, loving mother of two daughters and three granddaughters and former Executive Director of the Georgia Tennis Association, passed away at the age of 78.

Sheila was born on July 4, 1942, in Rahway, New Jersey to Thomas and Edna Evans. From humble beginnings, Sheila earned an academic scholarship to Michigan State University where she was a member of Chi Omega sorority. Sheila became the first in her family to complete college, graduating with a B.A. degree in English from Michigan State in 1964. Sheila lived briefly in White Plains, New York, with her husband Douglas L. Cronkright before relocating to Atlanta where she would reside for the next 50+ years. During that time, she raised two daughters: Kim and Kelly, who each graduated from The Westminster Schools and the University of Virginia.

Beginning in the 1970s, Sheila volunteered her time as a probation officer and as a counselor at the Rape Crisis Center. It was during the late 1970s that Sheila developed a love for tennis that would launch a career which positively affected thousands of adults and children all over the State of Georgia. Sheila began working with the Georgia Tennis Association (“GTA”) in 1983 and soon became the Executive Director of the organization. She would lead the GTA in that role until 1998. During Sheila’s time with GTA, membership quadrupled to 46,000 and Georgia became the largest tennis section in the Southeast. In addition to her position with the GTA, Sheila regularly served as a member and chairperson on numerous Southern Tennis Association and USTA National committees. After “retiring” from the GTA in 1998, Sheila served with the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association (“ALTA”) from 2000-2002. During Sheila’s tenure at GTA and ALTA, she oversaw not only the tremendous growth of adult tennis but also the dramatic increase in the number of youth tennis participants and programs throughout Georgia and, in particular, Atlanta. Sheila continued those efforts from 2003-2009 when she introduced an initiative to bring tennis to inner-city communities called the Atlanta Tennis Academy for Kids (“ATAK”). Although she received numerous honors and recognition during and after her nearly three decades of service with GTA, ALTA and ATAK, Sheila’s proudest moment came in 2018 when she was named the inaugural recipient of the Dan Magill Impact Award given by the State of Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame for her positive impact on the Georgia tennis community.

When not working, playing tennis herself, or watching her daughters’ or granddaughters’ tennis matches and sports events, Sheila could be found engaging in some form of physical activity. She was an avid runner and participated in more than 25 Peachtree Road Races (up until age 75!). Sheila also loved walking (usually along the Chattahoochee River), hiking in North Georgia, and practicing yoga (which she began in the 1970s). Sheila was surrounded throughout her life by a large circle of close friends, who were drawn to her warm personality and her humble demeanor. Through those traits and with her sense of humor and zest for life, Sheila greatly enriched the lives of those around her. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Sheila was preceded in death by her father, Thomas William Francis Evans, and her mother, Edna Mae Reilly Evans. She is survived by her two daughters: Kimberly Cronkright Raley (Atlanta) (and her husband Brian) and Kelly Cronkright Lindauer (Charlottesville, VA), and three granddaughters: Clare Sitz Raley, Lucille Evans Raley and Olive Marie Lindauer. Sheila is also survived by her sister Judith Ann Evans, her cousin Tommy Reilly, and his wife Carol Reilly.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the administrators and staff of the Solana at East Cobb for their loving care of Sheila during the last two years of her life. Sheila was so happy and content each day at the Solana, for which the family will always be grateful.

Please visit www.dignitymemorial.com (and enter Sheila Evans in the search bar) to post memories and tributes to Sheila. A private family memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) or the Atlanta Youth Tennis & Education Foundation (AYTEF) (aytef.org).