PETER EVANS M.D.

EVANS PETER YOSHIO EVANS, M.D. On Friday, December 18, 2020, one day before his 95th birthday, Peter Yoshio Evans, beloved husband, father, uncle, father-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away in his home of almost 60 years, in Falls Church, VA. Peter was born in Tokyo, Japan on December 19, 1925 to Yuzuru Paul Kawai and Vicky Wichgraf Evans. He and his brother, Johannes, grew up in Germany and Austria. Peter graduated from the University of Innsbruck Medical School in 1951. He went on to complete his ophthalmology residency training at the University of Innsbruck and the University of Frankfurt/Main. In 1957, he accepted a position at Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo, NY. Two years later, Peter accepted a teaching position at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. where he remained on staff until his retirement. Among his many accomplishments, he was most proud of elevating the Division of Ophthalmology under the Department of Surgery at the time, to its own Department of Ophthalmology. He was honored to have been Chairman of the department for many years. Peter Evans was an educator at heart. He found nothing more rewarding than teaching residents to become outstanding future ophthalmologists. Not only did Peter invest in future doctors, he also had a passion to teach the assistants that helped the doctors. In 1963, he started the first two-year program for ophthalmic technicians in the country. Six years later he was one of the founders of the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO), now international (IJCAHPO), charged with training ophthalmic assistants and technicians and accrediting training programs. There are currently 28,000 certified ophthalmic assistants worldwide. Peter served as executive vice president of JCAHPO from 1981-1995. The organization honored him with their "Man of the Decade Award" in 1997. Other awards include "The Distinguished Service Award" from the Academy of Ophthalmology, the "Promotion of Peace and Vision Award" from the International Eye Foundation, along with being featured in multiple editions of Who's Who, including Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Education, Who's Who in Medicine and Health Care and Who's Who in the World. He was also featured on the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement website. In addition to being a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Peter was also a member of both the German Ophthalmological and Austrian Ophthalmological Societies. He was also Board Certified in Ophthalmology in all three countries. This distinguished career didn't stop Peter from transitioning into retirement with ease. He filled the next 30 years with music, writing and travel. Peter started playing his violin again and regularly attended rehearsals and performances by the National Symphony Orchestra. He was an avid snow and water skier. Every year he looked forward to his ski trips to Austria. Just this past March he almost didn't make it back home from his ski trip, because of Covid-19 travel restrictions. Just as he never missed his annual ski trip to Austria, he never missed his annual camping trip to Buggs Island Lake. He loved camping with his children and his grandchildren. He would take his boat out at sunrise and return around noon with a stringer full of catfish and bass. After lunch, everyone would water ski until dinner time. There is currently an effort underway to rename the camp site he occupied for the last 57 years in his honor. Although Peter came to the United States in 1957, he always had a soft spot in his heart for the Austria he left behind. When he wasn't traveling abroad, he was an active member, and even past president, of the Washington, D.C. chapter of the American-Austrian Cultural Society. He and his wife Helga loved attending the various cultural events and even hosting the occasional "Heuriger" at their home. Peter was preceded in death by his mother, Vicky Wichgraf Evans, his father Yuzuru Paul Kawai, his brother, Johannes Evans, his mother-in-law, Maria Evans, and his daughter Marina Armstrong-Stark (Bruce). Peter is survived by his wife, Helga Evans; his seven children, Peter Fischer-Wasels (Gerlinde), Johannes Evans (Sharon), Michael Evans, Andre Evans (Marie-Therese), Thomas Evans (Jodi), Ursula Evans, Karin Middleton (Max); his two nephews, Richard and Alphonse; his 23 grandchildren, Nikolaus, Tobias, Laura, Bryant, Judith, Charissa, Sean, Mathias, Alexandra, Friederun, Samantha, Brent, Micaela, Adrienne, Elise, Nicholas, Brendan, Marie-Claire, Brandon, Allyson, Caroline, Sierra, Michael, and nine great-grandchildren. Given the current Covid-19 restrictions, the family will hold a small private funeral service. In lieu of flowers the family requests gifts be made to the Peter Y. Evans, MD Endowment Fund through JCAHPO Education and Research Foundation, Inc. (https://www.jcahpo.org/foundation/special-funds-2/). Donations can be given by accessing the following link: http://store.jcahpo.org/Donation.aspx