George Eugene "Gene" Evans

1911-2013 George Eugene "Gene" Evans was born May 21, 1911 at the family farm, southwest of Toronto, Kansas, in the same house his mother had been in born in 26 years earlier. He went to be with the Lord on June 29, 2013, failing to recover after breaking a hip. As a boy, he worked hard and long on the family farm, attended eight grades in the same one-room school, and taught by the same teacher who had taught his parents. Georges 16th birthday, in 1927, was the same day Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St Louis in Paris. He celebrated his 18th birthday by graduating from high school in Toronto, just as the Great Depression was beginning. In 1932, the family moved to the small community of Harvard in northern Idaho where the family purchased and operated a sawmill until the late 1950s. It was here he came to know the Lord as his Saviour, and this led him to meet Margaret "Mickey" Swan of Deary, whom he married in 1941. Their home was blessed with three children. George served two years in the Army, part of that time in Europe during the last of World War II. He often said, with tongue-in-cheek, "the allies had fought the war quite a while and Eisenhower was doing a pretty good job, but when I got there, it only took Ike and me thirty-eight days to end that whole ugly thing." After the war, George attended Northwest Nazarene College and entered the ministry with the Church of the Nazarene, serving at Harvard and Sandpoint, Idaho; Pittsburg, California; and Elko, Nevada. In retirement he moved to Nampa and served as calling pastor for a few years at Nampa First Church of the Nazarene. In 1984, he lost his beloved wife, Mickey, and in 1986 he married Vera Kester. The blending of these two families has been wonderful. George was able to enjoy his 102nd birthday in reasonably good health. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Mickey; a sister; son-in-law, Jim Lee; and step-son, David Kester. Surviving are his wife Vera, at their home in Nampa; son Gary (Maxeen) Evans of Nampa; daughter, Karen Lee of Concord, California; daughter Sheri (Bill) Vernor of Spanaway, Washington; step-daughter Millie (Chuck) Watkins of Wenatchee, Washington; and step-son Jerry (Sharon) Kester of Olympia, Washington; 13 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren and a host of friends. Contributions in memory of George may be made to First Church of the Nazarene, 601 16th Ave S., Nampa Idaho 83651 for its missions Work and Witness programs; or Trinity Pines Camp and Conference Center, 55 SW 5th Ave, Suite 100, Meridian, ID 83642. The family also wants to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at St Als Hospice, Mercy Medical Center, and Family Medicine; and Sunny Ridge Health Care for their professional and loving care of dad during his last days. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, July 3, 2013 at the Nampa First Church of the Nazarene. Burial will follow in the Kohlerlawn Cemetery, Nampa. A viewing and visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 2, 2013 from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. at the Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel. An online guest book may be signed at www.nampafuneralhome.com

Service Information Visitation Tuesday July 2, 2013 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM Nampa Funeral Home Yraguen Chapel 415 12th Ave South Nampa, ID 83651 Funeral Service Wednesday July 3, 2013 10:00 AM Nampa First Church of the Nazarene 601 16th Ave S Nampa, Idaho 83651