David Evans

The Rev. David E Evans 1916-2011 VERNON VT The Rev. David Evans died peacefully in the loving care of his wife Barbara and family at his home in Vernon Vt., on Wednesday March 2nd 2011. David Evans was born in Providence, R.I. July 9th 1916, the son of the late Rev. Irving Evans and the late Emily (Equi) Evans. He graduated from Brown University and the Episcopal Divinity School of Philadelphia. He was a Fellow of the College of Preachers in Washington D.C. and Rector Emeritus at St Paul's Episcopal Church, Holyoke, Mass. David was married to Ruth Brown in October 1942; she died in January 1971. In August 1972 he married Barbara Harvey of Tivetshall, Norfolk, England, who survives. David is survived by his daughters Cheryl Czuba of Haddam, Conn., Melissa Fountain and her husband Gary of Chatham, Va., the Rev. Holly Evans of Copenhagen, N.Y., Helen Evans and her husband Miguel Escobar of London, England, a son Andrew Evans of Brattleboro, Vt., three grandchildren, a nephew, and three nieces. He also leaves a brother, the Rev. John Evans and sisters, Virginia Hawes and Clarinda Humphreys, all of Tiverton, R.I. Besides his parents, David was predeceased by his sister, Elizabeth Lewis, a brother Irving Evans and his wife Elsie, a son-in-law, Peter Czuba and a grandson, William Costello III. David was an Episcopal minister whose genuine love of people and kind and gentle nature touched the lives of many. For over four decades, he served churches in Ashton, R.I., Newport, R.I., Dover N.H., and Holyoke, Mass. He was rector of St. Paul's Church in Holyoke, Mass., for 24 years where he established the St. Paul's Nursery School, the Hamilton Learning Center and a boy's choir. In 1957 he initiated the Christmas Pageant and Birthday for the Christ-child. Handmade stars were created for the event for all parishioners and this annual tradition continues to this day. After retiring from St. Paul's Church, he was the minister for seven years at St John's Church in Walpole, N.H., and later served as interim minister at churches in Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts. and Connecticut. David had a lifelong love of the Church and was proud of the many members of his family who were either ministers or deacons in the Episcopal Church. He had a special interest in church architecture and church music. At the time of his death, he was a member of St James Episcopal Church in Greenfield, Mass. David was a gifted artist and musician. He played tennis, ice skated and loved to fish into his eighties. He took pride in restoring two old farm houses, built hundreds of feet of stone walls, read biographies, followed the political scene with interest and wrote poetry and hymns. The family wishes to thank Hospice and their Volunteers Stephen and Philip, the Hallowell Singers and the Visiting Nurses of VT/NH, especially Alana, Alice and Darlene and caregivers Joan and Edna for their invaluable help and support the last few months. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Brattleboro Area Hospice, 191 Canal St, Brattleboro, VT 05301 or to the Capital Campaign for St Paul's Church, 485 Appleton St, Holyoke, MA 01040. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Eternal Blessings of Guilford, Vt. A celebration of David's life will be held at the end of March in Brattleboro Vt., followed by a Memorial Service at St. Paul's Church, Holyoke Mass., the next day. Dates and times will be announced in a later edition of the Reformer.