Eric Scott Evans

Eric attended David H. Hickman High School, graduating in 1978. While there, he met Teresa Lea Patterson during one of the several theater productions in which they participated. The high school sweethearts married in 1981 and had one child, Jason Patrick Evans, born in 1987.

After high school, Eric joined the army. After active-duty service in the army, Eric attended the University of Missouri where he graduated with a degree in medical sociology with a minor in health care administration in 1987. Eric always had a love for Mizzou, working at the university for several years and was a football season ticket holder. During his time at Mizzou, he served as the Emergency Management Specialist for the Missouri Fire and Rescue Training Institute and later with the UM Police Department as the university’s Emergency Management Coordinator.

After serving in the army, Eric joined the Missouri Army National Guard until his retirement in 2018, a career spanning 36 years of service. He retired as a Colonel and Deputy Commander of the Missouri National Guard Medical Command in Jefferson City, Missouri. His time in the National Guard included a 14-month deployment as commander of the 1st Support Battalion of the Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai, Egypt.

After graduating from Mizzou, Eric worked for the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency as the state’s all hazards planner and state training officer for 13 years. He then joined the University of Missouri. After his work at Mizzou, Eric rejoined the state and was working with the Department of Mental Health in Jefferson City at the time of his death. Throughout his time with the state and with the university, he worked with FEMA and the Emergency Management Institute as an instructor and curriculum consultant. Eric also participated in Disaster fieldwork at both the state and federal level, working in damage assessment and the Joint Disaster Field Offices and Disaster Application Centers.

Eric will be remembered for his passion for Mizzou, his love of country, his sense of humor, service to his community, and a love of gardening. Eric and Lea regularly donated to the Central Humane Society and all of their dogs were adopted from there, except the stray that once followed them home while out for an evening walk.

Eric was preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Teresa Lea Patterson Evans, and his parents, Roy and Sharon Evans. Eric is survived by his son, Jason Evans and his wife, Brianna Casey Evans, as well as two grandchildren, Apollo Casey Evans and Halcyone Sue Evans of Cape Girardeau, MO. In addition, Eric is survived by his brother, Mike Evans and his wife Tara, of Sierra Vista, AZ; sister, Kelley Evans Davis and her husband Tom of Tamarac, FL; mother-in-law, Shirley Patterson of Columbia, MO; brother-in-law, Lance Patterson and his wife Jill McEntegart of Atlanta, GA; nephews, Michael Patterson and his wife Paloma of Madrid, Spain; Nathan Patterson and his wife Erin of Buffalo, NY; and Andrew Patterson who is currently serving in the United States Marine Corps.

The family will receive guests on Friday, July 22, 2022 from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 W, Columbia, MO 65202. A celebration of life will follow at 10:30 a.m. in the funeral chapel. Inurnment, with Full Military Honors, will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Red Cross to commemorate Eric’s lifelong service to emergency management and disaster work. Donations can be made here: https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/.