Frank Evans

Frank Wilson Evans, 78, entered into the full presence of the Lord Jesus Christ in Tucson on Friday, June 6, 2015 following complications from heart bypass surgery. Frank was a beautiful person who sincerely loved everyone he met.

Frank was born July 11, 1936, in Roanoke, Virginia, the tenth child of Thomas Wilson Evans, a cabinetmaker, and Laura Ellen (Brillhart) Evans. Frank’s father passed away in the depths of the Great Depression from a sudden illness six months after Frank’s birth. As Frank would say about his childhood, “We were so poor that the poor people called us poor.” Despite the challenges, Frank and his siblings all grew into fine and capable people.

Frank met his precious bride, Nancy Vest (Boone) Evans, in 1956 outside the blueprint room at the General Electric plant in Roanoke, Virginia. They married in 1957 and celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary this year. Frank will be deeply missed by Nancy; his three children, DeAnna Dare Evans, 56, Todd Matthew Evans, 54, Hudson (Luke) Taylor Boone Evans, 48; his granddaughter, Lindsey Dare (Powers) Totten, and his one surviving sibling, Mildred Francis “Wicky” Evans.

Frank followed three of his brothers into the Marine Corps. Enlisting in 1954, he attained the rank of sergeant before receiving a meritorious officer’s commission in 1961, eventually retiring from the Marine Corps with the rank of major after 23 years of service. During that time he served two “all-expenses-paid” tours of combat duty in Vietnam, and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal, both with “Combat V” devices. His most enjoyable time in the Marine Corps was serving as operations officer of the 2nd Battalion/1st Marines (the “Jackass Marines”) out of Camp Pendleton, California in the early 1970s, as well as training rotations at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center at Pickel Meadows, California. He was serving as the battalion commander of the 8th Motor Transport Battalion in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina when he retired in 1977.

Following his retirement from the Marine Corps, Frank and Nancy moved to Tucson where Frank became a successful real estate broker, and where he also served as the administrator at Grace Chapel. Beginning in 1992, Frank and Nancy served as missionaries for ten years in Frank’s ancestral homeland of Wales in the United Kingdom, as well as several years of ministry to the people of Mexico.

Throughout most of his life Frank was a committed Christian who had a deep and sustaining relationship with and love of the Lord. His family grieves deeply but is also comforted because of this. "For I know that my Redeemer lives ... and after my flesh is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God" (Job 19:25-26). A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 11, at 1:00 p.m. at Beth Sar Shalom Messianic Congregation at 2151 N. Palo Verde Blvd. in Tucson. In lieu of flowers, Frank would hope that you would do an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for a complete stranger in his name. Say hello to someone, get to know them, and offer them kindness and humor. That was his way.