William Bill Nelson Evans

If anyone ever truly cared for other people in the world, it would have to be William Nelson Evans. He was a warmhearted and well-liked individual. These wonderful traits came easily to him, perhaps because he was such a sociable and amiable person. He tried to do his best to make certain that those around him had whatever they needed. Bill was a talkative person who typically said what he meant, but he was tactful at all times. Overall, others felt that Bill was someone who cared deeply for others. He was the person others could go to when they needed consoling.

He was born on June 17, 1934, at Mercy Hospital, Portsmouth, Ohio. His parents were Lola and Orville Evans. He grew up in Lucasville, Ohio. During his childhood, he learned to be reliable and respectful. He was an obedient child who wanted to win the favor of others. He found it easy to show sympathy and to perform kind acts for others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Bill's personality throughout his life.

Though Bill was frequently the one to initiate games and activities with his family, he was also quite often the family member who took the role of referee. He was a peacemaker who would frequently work to keep those usual family quarrels at bay. But even though Bill and his family had the typical conflicts and squabbles, they all cared deeply for one another. He was the oldest and was raised with six siblings, four brothers; Gene, Paul, Dave and Mike and two sisters; Pat and Sue.

As someone who reveled in the sheer joy of his experiences, Bill was always enthusiastic about new adventures. One thing he will certainly be remembered for is that when he got up in the mornings, he always hit the floor running, ready and raring to go. As a young boy, Bill had a number of interests and was an active child. He enjoyed playing sports, especially baseball. Playing games were always one of his favorite pastimes.

For Bill, school routines were never a problem although he generally preferred variety to structure. He was able to start a project and work right through to completion and he was able to do it quickly and efficiently. He was also quite adept at managing details, due to being observant and quick at picking up on new things. He graduated from Lucasville High School in 1952. His favorite classes in High School were English and Math. Bill was a member of the Glee Club while in High School.

For Bill, the high school years were not just about school. There were many other fun and exciting things to do and experience. A lot of that centered around his friends. Being so outgoing and talkative, Bill was able to make many friends during high school.

Learning about responsibility was not a hard lesson for Bill. He was naturally conscientious, so taking on new responsibilities was not difficult for him. Being a hard worker also came naturally to Bill.

Being such an outgoing person, Bill enjoyed getting away to travel, to see new places and meet new people. Bill enjoyed trips to Ohio and camping at National Parks.

Bill was a faithful and loving person. Some would even call him sentimental and a romantic at heart. His kindness and consideration radiated an aura of warmth to those around him. He cared what others thought and carried that into his relationship with Susie Adams. Bill and Susie were married April 18, 1959 at the Church of God in New Boston, Ohio. The service was officiated by Rev. Dale Lehman. Compassionate and devoted, Bill worked hard to make his new life partner happy. Bill did his best to make it a happy home.

Bill was the kind of person who would readily move into action in order to help others. He was appreciated and respected, and he could find value in the opinions of others while being passionate about his own values and beliefs. So it is little wonder that he was active and highly valued by those in his community. Because he was outgoing and worked well with others, Bill did his fair share of volunteer work. Bill served on various church committees. Bill was also a member of the Masonic Lodge for 43 years. He was a born list-maker and was great at creating and sticking to schedules.

Harmony was important to Bill and he made every effort to maintain it with his family. Bill had three children, one daughter, Kimberly and two sons, David Lee and Mark Alan. The children would often fill his heart with pride with some of the things they accomplished. It was part of Bill’s nurturing and fostering nature to make sure that the children were raised in safe environment. He tried his best to teach about responsibilities and the rewards that can go along with it. He tried to maintain this learning and encouragement when the family took trips and vacations. Later in life, he was blessed with four grandchildren, Michael, Corey, Ashley and Haley. He was always conscious of the feelings possessed by others around him. He was reasonable and understanding. As a result, Bill was quick to solve disputes and did so without much fuss. His secret of success in this area was simple: he would listen before he would act.

Taking his work seriously came naturally to Bill. He expected the same commitment and effort from those around him. Bill was a great team player, someone who cooperated well with others. He was what some would call a “people person,” something which was best demonstrated in his good communication skills. Bill was a steady worker, one who was realistic about schedules. The kind of details that would give family members and work colleagues fits were situations that Bill handled well. He could understand the details without getting lost in the "big picture.”

These abilities and this attitude seemed to come naturally for Bill. They were things he did even during his first jobs. His primary occupation was working as a Warehouse Foreman; 7 years for Norfork & Western Railroad and 20 years for Kaiser Steel. He brought harmony to his work environment, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done, while always maintaining respect for his colleagues. Like in other aspects of his life, Bill’s outgoing personality led him to make a number of friends at work.

Blessed with a practical nature, Bill was a person who appreciated the routine of the military. He was a man who took his obligations seriously, working well with the others in his unit. Bill was an Army Veteran, serving at Ft. Knox, Kentucky and in Korea with the TANK CO. 21st INF. REGT. 24th INF. DIV. 8th ARMY, receiving his Honorable Discharge on October 31, 1961. Bill achieved the final rank of Sergeant.

A methodical man, Bill enjoyed spending time working on his various hobbies. He had no problem following all of the steps and instructions on a given project and was proud of the fact that he could have something to show for his efforts. He developed a number of interests throughout his life, including restoring old cars, coin collecting and his grandchildren.

Bill was one of those people who took pride in constantly putting forth his best effort. Nowhere was that more visible than in sports. He was always enthusiastic and a great team player. Bill also enjoyed following his favorite teams and events whenever he got the opportunity. Bill enjoyed watching golf, baseball, basketball and football. He coached Little League Baseball for 7 years.

Since he was practical and frugal, he was ready when the time to retire actually came. The day finally arrived in 1984, and he relocated to Beaumont, California. In retirement he found continued pleasure in antique car restoration. Since it was easy for Bill to meet and get to know new people, he quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once he met those new friends, he loved sharing stories and talking about "the good old days". So even in retirement, he kept in touch with his old friends and continued to make new ones. He had a love for animals and had a Black Lab named Bear for 7 years.

Bill Evans left us on April 14, 2011. He passed away Kaiser Hospital, Fontana, California. He was 77. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer. He is survived by his wife of over fifty years Marlene "Susie" Evans; daughter, Kimberly Evans Holmes; sons, David Evans and Mark Evans and 4 grandchildren, Mike Evans, Corey Evans, Ashley Evans and Haley Evans. He is also survived by one sister, Vera Sue Book. The family will receive friends at the Weaver Mortuary, 1177 Beaumont Ave, Beaumont, California on Sunday, April 24, 2011, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Services will be held Monday, April 25, 2011, at 10:00 AM, also at Weaver Mortuary. Bill will be laid to rest at Riverside National Cemetery, staging area #3, 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, California, at 1:30 PM, Monday, April 25, 2011.

Bill was a fantastic conversationalist who could engage just about anyone in a discussion. And whenever he said something, he meant it. Bill was down-to-earth, outgoing and gregarious. He was, without question, the type of person who enjoyed experiencing things firsthand. He was practical and sensible, but what friends and family will remember him for the most is the fact that he was so understanding and kind. It can surely be said that everyone whose life he touched will miss William Nelson Evans.