Wallace Lee Evans Jr.

My beloved husband, Wallace "Wally" Lee Evans Jr., at the remarkable age of 94, of Tampa, radiantly transitioned to eternal serenity on Monday, January 5th, 2026, at 12:11 am, leaving behind a profound legacy of love deeply cherished by his devoted wife, Sandra Lee Evans; his sister, Marjo Congrove Norman; many children; and grandchildren. He will be deeply missed and eternally loved by his family.

He studied drafting and engineering at Ohio State University. From 1951-1959 he served as a staff sergeant and airplane crew chief in the US Airforce during the Korean War. In 1957 Wally was transferred to MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL where he permanently lived. He never wanted to go back to Ohio where there was snow.

Wally enjoyed doing woodworking, crossword puzzles, and spending time with our children and grandchildren. He really enjoyed tinkering with anything mechanical that he could tear apart or replace. He would save any extra parts to use on future projects. There wasn't anything that he couldn't do, that he set his mind to. There were many repairs to our home that he couldn't handle. With his woodworking he made rocking horses, cradle, wall-to-wall china cabinet, spoon racks, and pull toys for the grandchildren.

Wally's entrepreneurial spirit shone bright as he owned and operated his own business, "Evans Automative" on Westshore and Euclid for almost 50 years, offering mechanical services and pumping gas for his clients with unwavering dedication. He met the love of his life, Sandra, in May 1976 while maintaining her vehicle at his business, sparking a love that would last a lifetime. They were married on February 25th, 1978 at Null's Wedding Chapel, surrounded by loved ones, with "You Light Up My Life" as their wedding song and "We’ve Only Just Begun" as their first dance, marking the beginning of a beautiful journey together.

His love of traveling across North America with Sandra in their motor homes. Wally and Sandra visited England for their 10th anniversary. After retirement, Wally and Sandra continued traveling across the US in their motorhomes for over 30 years was a great adventure and excitement in their lives together. Of all the places they traveled Wally's favorite places were Key West, Fort DeSoto Beach, Disney World, Epcot and Tennessee the most.

They are a shining example of opposites attracting, finding common ground despite their differing tastes in music and TV shows, but always cherishing each other’s company. Their beloved pets were Dachshunds and at one point they had as many as six. Sebastian Leonardo, the last of his current Dachshund is deeply missing his Daddy. Sebastian spends most of his time in Wally's recliner where they shared countless precious moments together.

He is survived by his wife of almost 48 years, Sandra Lee Evans; children Bobby & Victoria Gillette, Melissa Shortt, David Evans, Richard & Sandra Evans, Donna Murdock, Karen & Billy McCaskill, Jennifer Helmcke, and Crystal Wall; sister Marjo & Don Norman; grandchildren; Frank & Marissa, Kayla & Billy, Meghan & Adam, Nick, Rachael & Nicole, Michele & Kenny, David Jr., Stacey & Ray, Michael & Laura, Ryan & Kristen, Ricky & Tina, Nathan & Andra, Keith & Morgan, Dougie, Jennifer & Dave, Christa; great-grandchildren; Archer, , Mallory, Bryce, Greyson, Brady, David 3rd, Jonathan, Jazlyn, Uriah, Hailey, Aidan, Riley, Liam, Elliot, Sophie, Zach, Blaine; great-great-grandchildren; Parker, Emersyn, Ariella, and many nieces and nephews.

A heartfelt "Celebration of Life" filled with love, remembrance and inspiration was held on January 10, 2026, at Rachael and Nicole’s home with Latin food, salads and many desserts. Frank Shortt Jr delivered this uplifting eulogy in honor of his Papa.

"Wallace Lee Evans, known by many as Wally, Dad, or Papa

Was a simple man.. but that simplicity came from the core tenants of his personality and character....

He was honest, patient, creative, strong willed, and most importantly consistent. He had routines and hobbies that he followed and did passionately on a daily basis. His consistency in who he was, the hobbies and passions he held, and the work he did as a younger man inspired everyone around him..

As his grandson I can say with conviction that the man I am today comes directly from that personality and the hobbies we've shared together. Growing up Wally was my best friend. We shared many TV shows such as Stargate SG1, the Sopranos, and True Blood. I stumbled upon the original Doom & Wolfenstein on his home computer which lead me to my love of video games that still holds true today, and many books, ranging from history to biology, and especially science fiction.

Sports, he was a massive Tampa Bay Rays fan and a staunch Buccaneers fan, and cool or even just everyday cars, I am sure that just about everyone here asked him for mechanical advice or help at one point or another. My first car was a 1986 Fiero GT that I learned to drive a manual transmission on, was a gift from Papa for my graduation from high school. Another thing we shared of course were many meals, primarily, breakfast at Mamas kitchen. In my wife and I's early dating, we were having breakfast and I ordered sunny side up eggs as I always have. She had never seen someone have their eggs that way, and asked why I did, and my response was simple - it's the way my papa had them. In the time I spent with family before Wally's passing, we discussed the memories shared with him and it became most evident to me that again, Wally was always consistent in who he was, as we all shared very similar memories of science fiction, philosophical discussions of life, working on our cars, watching and attending sporting events, but overall just good quality time with the most quality man any of us have known.

I want to share that in his final moments, he was steadfast in his love for his family and friends, being what his nurses and doctors described as a spitfire, and cracking jokes and laughing with us until the end. I will end with that Wally's final message to his family and friends was "to take care of each other in his absence, focus on all our memories shared, and to love one another as much as you possibly can."

Wally was a shining example of self-sufficiency, able to tackle any mechanical issue that arose during his many adventures. Wally also spread his wisdom at Lazy Days on I-4, where he not only performed a wide range of mechanical tasks but also empowered customers with the knowledge to maximize their RV's potential. Additionally, he worked part-time as a courtesy clerk at Publix. Wally generously shared his expertise with his sons and daughters, teaching them valuable skills like changing oil and pumping gas, ensuring their safety on the roads. Wally's passion was to share his wisdom with everyone he met, inspiring others to become self-sufficient and confident.

Eternally Cherished, Forever in Our Thoughts, and Your Unforgettable Memories Will Reside in Our Hearts Always. We Adore You Beyond Measure and Into Timeless Eternity.

His enduring legacy was to cultivate avocado trees that would yield a bountiful harvest of avocados. In tribute to his remarkable spirit, please consider a donation to the American Heart Association.