Ira Chenault Evans

EVANS, Ira Chenault M.D. 95, died Monday, Oct. 8, 2007, at The Allegro at College Harbor. Dr. Evans was married to the late Fannie Summers Haley in 1940. He was a graduate of the University of Kentucky (1933) and the Medical College of Virginia (1938). He served his internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans and his residency at University Hospital in Cleveland (Case-Western Reserve University). Dr. Evans served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in WWII, seeing action the North African and Italian Campaigns. He was responsible for blood distribution in the Italian Campaign and achieved the rank of Captain. Dr. Evans came to St. Petersburg in 1946 as the first Pathologist in Pinellas County. He became the Director of Pathology at Mound Park Hospital in 1948, serving in that capacity until 1970. Dr. Evans was founding Medical Director of the Community Blood Bank in 1952 and served on the Board of Directors for many years. He was Pinellas County Medical Examiner for a number of years. He was noted for encouraging minority inclusion in the medical profession. He was founder and President of Diagnostic Medical Services, Inc. until his retirement in 1988. He later served as Consulting Pathologist to Allied Labs and Hospital Corp. of America. Dr. Evans was a Diplomat of the American Board of Pathology, a member of AMA, American Society of Clinical Pathologists, Florida Society of Pathologists (President 1958-59), Florida Cancer Society and Rotary International. He is survived by his son, James Ira Evans, of Grantham, NH; his daughter, Rose Elizabeth Brillhart, Hoover, AL; a granddaughter, Kara Elizabeth McPherson, Hoover, AL; a grandson, Kenneth C. Pless, Tuscumbia, AL; and 3 great-grandchildren, Samuel Coleman McPherson, Claire Elizabeth McPherson, and Collin Mitchell Pless. A Visitation-Gathering will be held at Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, 2201 Dr. MLK Street North, on Feb. 2, 2008, from 2-5 pm. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in memory of Dr. Ira C. Evans, to the American Cancer Society or your favorite medical research charity.