Shawn Dale Evans

1968 - 2022

Shawn Dale Evans
December 18, 1968 - August 14, 2022
Merced, California - Shawn Dale Evans was born at Mercy Hospital in Merced, California to John and Beverly Evans. Shawn Dale loved all sports, starting with little league baseball and peewee football. He continued with football in middle school and all four years of high school. He graduated from Merced High School in 1987. After high school, he traveled doing various jobs. He found that he loved working outdoors. He received his heavy equipment operator's license from West Coast Training in Woodland, Washington and enjoyed that work until he acquired late onset epilepsy.
In 1997 while working at Franklin School, he met the love of his life, Donna Kay, and they married in 1999. They spent 23 years together and enjoyed traveling, camping, hiking and spending time on the coast and in the mountains. They rarely went anywhere without their fur babies, who were Shawn Dale's closest companions. Although never professionally trained, they often alerted Donna to his seizures and other medical needs.
Shawn was a cancer survivor and a patriot. He was also passionate about helping others, including growing out his hair and donating it to Wigs for Kids. It was his strong love for the Lord that made him want to help others.
Shawn is preceded in death by his father, John Dale Evans, and his mother-in-law, Anita Irene Cochran. He is survived by his wife, Donna Kay Evans, mother, Beverly Jane Evans, father-in-law and close friend, Robert James Cochran, brother and sister-in-law Bryan and Kelley Evans, many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and other family members and friends.
A celebration of Shawn's life will be held in Merced at Yosemite Church on October 22nd at 3 PM. There will be a reception to follow at the church.
In Shawn Dale's memory, donations can be made to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, Wigs for Kids or the NRA.