Thomas Walter "Tom" Evans

Thomas (Tom) Walter Evans, age 78, passed away on August 19, 2025, in Ardmore, Okla. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 AM, Saturday, August 23, 2025, in The Chapel at Griffin~Hillcrest Funeral Home with Pastor Randal Richards officiating.

Tom was born on July 18, 1947, in Sioux Falls, SD to Alvin Leroy Evans and Ruby Kathleen (Tilley) Evans. Tom graduated from Miller High School in Miller, SD in 1965. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served four years during the Vietnam era. Tom was assigned to the Army Security Agency where he was a Morse Code Interceptor. He served four years in various locations including Thailand, Panama, Massachusetts, Missouri and Virginia. After he completed military service, Tom worked on a ranch in Ree Height, SD.

In 1977, Tom moved to Ardmore, OK, where he married Patsy Evans. They were married for 42 years until her passing in 2019. He worked as a home insulator, in the oil field, and retired after 32 years at Atlas Roofing (Big Chief and Georgia Pacific) in Quality Control. His interest included playing the drums, gardening, traveling and listening to country music.

Tom is survived by his son Clifton Willingham (Nicole); daughters Leah Evans, and Karey Barnard (Richard); grandchildren Leslie Powell (Adam), Jordan Willingham, Jeryn Evans, McKenzie Zaha, Autumn Westgate, and John Thomas (JT) Barnard; great grandchildren Wyatt Powell and Adam Powell; step-grandchildren Olivia Ingram (Mitchell), Richard Barnard Jr. (Katie) and Austin Barnard; sister Ramona Wanger (Bruce); brother Dave Blachford, and nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his wife Patsy Jo Evans, his parents, brother Alvin (Butch) Evans; sisters Coleen Koeck and Dawnelle Feller, nephew Michael Pettit.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Cross Timbers Hospice.