Ralph L. Evans

Marietta Monitor

May 22, 1998

Submitted by: Martha N. Reddout

Services for Ralph L. Evans, 84, were Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Eastside Baptist Church with Rev. Jim Banks and Rev. Steve Gardner officiating.

Born January 18, 1914, at Dora, New Mexico. Mr. Evans died May 16, 1998, in the Lake Country Manor Nursing Home, Marietta. He was the son of Lee and Molly Riley Evans.

A resident of Greenville since 1949, he and Helen Giblin were married June 7, 1934, at Morgan, Texas. He was a retired building contractor.

Mr. Evans was baptized when he was 19 and ordained as a deacon at the age of 26. He served in that capacity in each church family he had. Mr. Evans was a member and served as a Deacon of Eastside Baptist Church for 44 years, giving generously of himself to the church family and all others he encountered.

Mr. Evans wrote "The History of Love County." He and the Marietta Monitor Publishing Company donated their time, services and profits from the book to finance the first Frontier Days of Love County in 1965 which he started and then served as chairman of that event for many years. He also authored "From The Cross To The Crown," a history of the Enon Baptist Association. Mr. Evans compiled information of all the cemeteries in Love County and was a founding member of the Love County Historical Society. He was instrumental in getting a hospital in Marietta, oversaw the construction of the building and served on the hospital board for many years. Mr. Evans also served on the board for Mental Health Services of Southern Oklahoma for many years as well as the board of the Chickasaw Multicounty Library System for many years.

Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Helen Evans of the home at Greenville; three sons and daughters-in-law, Don and Louise Evans of Greenville, Kenneth and Ruth Ann Evans of Oklahoma City and Benny Evans of Stillwater; a daughter and son-in-law, Linda and David Kirby of Greenville; a brother, Trevenor Evans of Bloomfield, New Mexico; 15 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Mr. Evans was preceded in death by a son, Ronald Lee Evans in 1935; two brothers, Oscar Evans and J.C. Evans; and two sisters, Mary Waldrop and Wanda Warthen.

Interment in the Greenville Cemetery was directed by Kennedy Funeral Home. Pallbearers were grandsons, Gavin Evans, Justin Evans, Dale Redding, Kelvin Schoonover, Jason Evans, Daniel Evans and Phillip Knox. Honorary pallbearers were grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Cathy Redding, Karen Schoonover, Jami Evans, Anna Evans, Tim Johnson, Jessica Redding, Joshua Knox, Molly Redding, Melinda Evans, Ginger Evans, Julie Evans, Susan Knox, Melody Evans, Carla Evans, Marianna Johnson, Jessica Johnson, Ian Redding, Lisa Knox, Kelsey Schoonover, Tony Evans, Sonia Evans and Morgan Evans; and Deacons of Eastside Baptist Church.