John Evans Sr.

1932 - 2016

John Joseph Evans Sr.

February 15, 1932 - January 21, 2016

Diamondhead

John Joseph Evans Sr., retired Sales Engineer for Philips North America, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and maker beyond category died peacefully this week in Diamondhead, MS. He was 83.

It was the water and wind, the triumph of imagination and math, that had him hauling the Peqoud from the depths of Lake Pontchartrain. That sunken sailboat was the perfect project, combining his love of all things tinkering, engineering and adventure.

Born in New Orleans on February 15, 1932, John Joseph attended St. Rita's Catholic School before earning his diploma from Alcee Fortier High School and then Louisiana State University, where he was an active member of ROTC. The son of James Kennedy Evans (d. 1934) and the grandson of John Michael Evans, who served as New Orleans Fire Superintendent from 1920 to 1945, John Joseph split the time of his youth between the tutelage of his grandfather and working in the family grocery store on Calhoun Street with his mother Carmen Evans (d. 1999).

During the Korean War he served as a US Air Force Captain and Instructor at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City where he found great joy in the mechanics of flight and wonder in the engineering of planes. His greatest joys, however, were his beloved wife, Barbara Estave Evans, whom he wed at 19 and his children Lauren Spencer, John Evans Jr. (d. 1999), Kenneth Evans, Sandra Comeaux, Vicki Shreves, Suzie Bloch, and Sally Evans. Under his care, the Evans family flourished on Henry Clay Avenue with summers spent in Southern Yacht Club regattas and both short and epic voyages on Lake Pontchartrain and beyond.

After retiring from Philips, John and Barbara moved to Waveland, MS where they built a beautiful family home and workshop. John built everything from watches to Volkswagens to old vending machines, with a keen mechanical mind and a fascination for the old and obscure. It was with these tenets that he encouraged the best out of those around him and built high standards to which he truly lived up to. He is remembered by his brother Kenneth Michael Evans, his children, and his grandchildren Sarah, John III, Elizabeth, Christina, Ashley, Sam, Margaret, Tonie, Lindsay, Kelly, Mark, Kathleen, and Sam for his brilliant mind and fierce love. He loved Barbara the best.

The family thanks Dr. Rowe Crowder and the staff of Deaconess Hospice for helping Barbara administer love and tender care.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation at Greenwood Funeral Home, 5200 Canal Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124 on Tuesday, January 26, 2016, starting at 12:00 Noon, followed by a Funeral Mass in the Chapel at 1:00 PM. Burial will follow in Greenwood Cemetery.. The family invites you to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online, at www.GreenwoodFuneralHome.net