Ms. Eva Virginia Evans

Eva V. Evans, 83, of Hot Springs, died Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014, at her home after a lengthy illness. She was born on March 20, 1931, in Marianna, the daughter of Coley Marvin and Clara Scott Evans. She was predeceased by her parents, by two brothers, Layton C. Evans, and Dell G. Evans, and by one niece, Carol Hughes. Her 38-year federal service career began in 1949 with the Veterans Administration in Little Rock, followed by her employment with the U.S Army at the Army and Navy Hospital in Hot Springs. In 1959, she was employed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, at the Ouachita National Forest, headquartered in Hot Springs. As the ONF's public information specialist and then its public affairs officer, Evans provided leadership and assistance to the headquarters staff and 13 field offices in Arkansas and Oklahoma. She planned, developed, and managed the Forest information, education and public involvement programs and served as liaison officer with federal, state and local officials, mass media and private organizations. Evans twice served as chairman of the Arkansas Arbor Day Committee, as vice president and president of the Arkansas Advisory Council on Environmental Education, as a member of the Arkansas Federal Executive Association's Equal Employment Opportunity Committee, as a member of the Arkansas Women's Committee on Public Affairs, the Arkansas Council of Federal Women's Program Coordinators, and the Ouachita National Forest Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Council. Twice elected president of the Hot Springs Business and Professional Women's Club, she was named its Woman of the Year in 1971. Evans is the only person to have served as state president of both the Arkansas Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs and the Arkansas Federation of Garden Clubs. In 1974, Evans received the Secretary of Agriculture's Superior Service Honor Award in ceremonies at the Washington Monument and in 1975, she received the Garden Clubs' Individual Service Award when a conservation speech contest she initiated and coordinated for high school students was adopted for use in the 50 states. In 1980, she was featured in "Horizons: 100 Arkansas Women of Achievement," published by the Arkansas Press Women, and also in 1980, she received the Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service to the People of Arkansas and the first Outstanding Community Service Award for Individual Participation presented by the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce. She is survived by two brothers, J.C. Evans of Denton, Texas, and Bill S. Evans of Sonoma, Calif; one sister, Ruth Parsons, of Hot Springs; four nephews and six nieces. The service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Gross Funeral Home with The Rev. Jerry Stewart, pastor of Temple of Jesus Name Church, officiate. The eulogy will be given by Melinda B. Gassaway. Visitation will be from 2-4 p.m. today at Gross Funeral Home. Pallbearers will be Phil Parsons, Stephen Parsons, Chris Hughes, Alan Heffernan, Leland Felix and Mike Muldoon. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens of Hot Springs. The family wants to acknowledge the kindnesses of the Home Care Assistance staff and personnel, especially Susan Johnson and Elenoa B. Tiliai'a; Hospice of Central Arkansas staff, especially Brenda Cox and Deanna Bobus; the friendship and support of Rachel Heffernan, Mollie Muldoon, Melynda Gidcomb, Melinda B. Gassaway, and Fran Lindsey. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Garvan Woodland Gardens, 540 Arkridge Road, Hot Springs, AR 71913, and to BPW's Individual Development and Leadership Program, BPW/AR, 201 Hunters Ridge, Jonesboro, AR 72404, attention Sarah Akin.