Robert Howell Evans

1929 - 2025

Robert Howell Evans,
age 96, of Toccoa, passed
away Sunday, April 13,
2025, at Northeast Georgia
Medical Center
Gainesville.
Robert Howell Evans
was born on April 8, 1929,
in Shelby, N.C., to Trilby
King Evans and Ellis
Auburn Evans. Bob joined
the Army in June 1946 and
was honorably discharged
in Dec. 1947, after losing
both of his parents during
that time. When people
asked him if he served in
World War II, he was
proud to say that he
played 3rd French Horn at
Fort Knox. Following his
discharge, he attended and
graduated from the Uni-
versity of North Carolina
with a business degree in
business. Following grad-
uation, Bob had jobs with
a furniture company and
worked nine years as a di-
vision manager with Sears
Roebuck, before taking the
assistant director position
with the Spartanburg,
South Carolina Chamber
of Commerce, where he
was active in industrial
development projects. In
1968, he was approached
by the Toccoa-Stephens
County Chamber of Com-
merce and Stephens
Coun-
ty Development Authority
Chairman to move to Toc-
coa Ga. as the executive di-
rector of
both groups.
(Thank you to Ben Cheek,
III and the late WC Clary,
Roy Gaines, Lucius
Alewine, and Wallace
Bruce!). During the next 28
years, Bob was instrumen-
tal in bringing 28 plus new
industries to Toccoa.
Many other accomplish-
ments for Toccoa hap-
pened during this time,
such as the building of the
Mall downtown, which
was the up-and-coming
concept at that time, as
well as helping Toccoa be-
come an All-American
City in 1976.
Upon retirement, Bob
realized that he couldn't be
inactive. He worked part-
time in a similar capacity
in Hartwell, Ga. During
that time, he received the
Hart County Chamber
Golden Shovel Award in
2005 and the Hart County
Industrial Building Au-
thority Appreciation
Award in 2006.
Throughout his career,
Bob served on the Board of
Directors for many groups
and received numerous
awards. Because of his
humble nature, plaques
were placed behind his
door at the Chamber to
keep from drawing atten-
tion to his accomplish-
ments. And as
a result,
his children never had a
true concept of his many
achievements and awards.
We do know of se
veral
groups that he truly be-
lieved in and stayed dedi-
cated to throughout his ca-
reer and in the years fol-
lowing. He felt that techni-
cal educa
tion was ex
-
tremely important and
served on the North Geor-
gia Technical Board for
many years, as wel
l as the
State Technical Board. He
also was a founding mem-
ber of the Small Business
Access Partners
in 1982
and continued to serve un-
til his death. Bob was a
Paul Harris Fellow with
the Toccoa Rotary Club,
served at one time on the
Toccoa-Stephens County
Library Board, and served
various positions at the
Toccoa First United
Methodist Church. He also
had the honor to carry the
Olympic Torch in Toccoa
in 1996. His most recent
award was presented by
the Northeast Georgia
Council of Boy Scouts of
America, when he re-
ceived a Distinguished Cit-
izen Award in 2016.
Of course, for so many
that knew Bob, Monday
night tennis was his true
passion! We all knew that
nothing interfered with
that! The "foursome"
changed a few times over
the years, but it was the
main constant in his life
until his late 80's!
Bob was preceded in
death by his parents, Tril-
by and Ellis, his only
brother Jack Evans, his
niece, Trilby Evans, and
dear sister-in-law and
brother-in law, Phyllis and
Paul Petty. He also lost the
love of his life, DeAnn
Teaster Evans in 2019 and
his oldest son, Robert Dou-
glas Evans "Doug" in 2021.
Doug will also be memori-
alized at his burial.
He was a wonderful
daddy, granddaddy, and
daddy Bob. He leaves be-
hind a loving family who
will miss him very much.
Daughter and son, Lynn
and David Cox, along with
their 3 children, spouses,
and grandchildren:
Hay-
ley and Aaron Redman,
Kevin, Autumn, Warner,
and Quincy Cox, Court-
ney, Tip, DB,
and Jo John
-
son; Doug's 3 sons and
families: Ryan, Stephanie,
Cason, and Callyn Evans;
Chris, Alicia, Emily, and
Logan Evans; Tyler, Cal-
lie, Cambree, and Paxton
Evans; son, Ken Evans,
and his 2 children Colton
and Kinsley Evans; son
and daughter, Phil
and
Ashley Evans, along with
their fur babies (and Bob's,
too), Vivienne and Roman.
Bob strongly asked that
in lieu of flowers, if any-
one wished to do anything
as a memorial, it may be
made to one of the follow-
ing: NGTC Foundation
Marlowe/Evans Scholar-
ship Fund, 1500 Hwy 197N,
Clarkesville, Georgia
30523 or Toccoa-Stephens
County Public Library, 53
W. Savannah St., Toccoa,
Georgia 30577, or Toccoa
First Methodist Church,
333 E. Tugalo St., Toccoa,
Georgia 30577. He would
be honored with any gift
in his name.
Bob was blessed with a
Sunday School class of
friends (and others) who
were so special in his life
and stood by him until the
end. The family is grateful
to Eric Shirley, who was
Bob's caregiver, driver,
and companion for many
years. We also a
ppreciate
the love and care given to
him at The Overlook Se-
nior Center. They made
his last 5 mont
hs so spe
-
cial, especially his won-
derful caregivers who
went over and above to
make him feel loved and
his table mates, who made
him fee
l like family! He
loved each of you and
thought you were all great
Americans!
Bob's burial will
be pri
-
vate; however, his memo-
rial service will be held at
First Methodist Church in
Toccoa on Frida
y, April
18, 2025, at 2 p.m. followed
by a visi
tation in the Mc
-
Neely Hall until 4 p.m.
Acree-Davis Funeral
Home and Crematory is in
charge
of the arrange
-
ments for Robert Howell
Evans.