Nolan Burl Evans Sr.

Nolan was born on July 28, 1928, in Vernon Texas to Vernon Owen Evans and Jennie Corene Hoke. Nolan grew up in Vernon. He played baseball and football in high school where he graduated from Vernon High, class of 1948. He married the love of his life, Dorothy Jean Caddell in 1949, in Vernon.

While working for his in-laws at the Vernon Food Store they mentored and taught him how to own and operate a business. Nolan and Dorothy were eager to run their own business and were entrepreneurs like their parents. They later bought the Vernon Cream Spot Drive Inn from his parents while raising their young family of three boys and one girl.

Nolan was always fascinated by airplanes and wanted to become an Air Traffic Controller, so he moved his young family to Wichita Falls, Texas where the training facility was located. He worked as a milkman to support his family while training and taking flying lessons. He loved flying the Cessna 180 planes.

When he achieved his career goal of becoming an Air Traffic Controller for the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), his job took them to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Nolan loved being in the great outdoors, camping, fishing, and hunting. Nolan and Dorothy always wanted to live in Alaska where they could experience more of their love of the outdoors. In 1962 he asked for and received a transfer from the FAA center in Albuquerque, New Mexico to Fairbanks Alaska. After several years in Alaska, he retired in 1979.

Nolan was very active in his church community, becoming a Deacon at Calvary Baptist Church in Fairbanks. Nolan and Dorothy always helped where they could, and Nolan would do maintenance and repairs in every church they attended.

After retirement, Nolan and Dorothy moved to Moore, Oklahoma. Retirement didn’t slow them down. Staying true to their roots, they pursued more entrepreneurial opportunities and opened their own printing business; Endee Printing.

In 1981, Nolan was asked to teach all the new incoming Air Traffic Controllers at the FAA Academy in Norman, Oklahoma. Nolan continued to help with the printing business when he could. They decided to sell Endee printing and purchase land in Tahlequah, Oklahoma where they developed Shadow Ridge Trailer Park from forestry to the beautiful trailer park it is today. Nolan once again retired from the FAA in 1992.

In true Evans spirit, they were always seeking adventure and auditioned to be in a commercial. They both received a part, Nolan as a senior coach at a baseball game and Dorothy sat in the stands as the grandmother. The commercial was for Bremer Banking and only aired in Minnesota.

When things started to settle down, Nolan needed to keep busy and discovered his talent in woodworking. He made beautiful pens, pencils, and wood carvings that are cherished by his family and friends.

Nolan is predeceased by his wife of 68 years Dorothy Jean Caddell, son Nolan Burl Evans Jr, his parents Vernon and Corene Evans, brother Vernon Kent Evans, and sister Elwyn Rose.

He is survived by his three children, John (Diane) of Alaska, Cynthia (Jim) of Alberta, Canada and Ray Gene (Sandy) of Washington, sister Helen Ashcraft as well as nieces and nephews, nine grandchildren; John Brian Evans, Margaret Evans, Vernon Evans, Michael Evans, April Corasiniti, Melanie Watt, Kristi Hemphill, Daniel Evans and Michelle Paxton, 18 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

Nolan will be laid to rest beside the love of his life at East View Cemetery in Vernon, Texas. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. His legacy will live on through us all.