Richard Evans

Richard Vance Evans, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle passed away into the arms of Jesus on June 28, 2013 at St. Catherine Place, Providence Hospice, in Waco, Texas. Visitation will be on July 2 from 6pm to 8pm at Grace Gardens. Funeral Services will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 10am, Wednesday, July 3, with burial following at Oakwood Cemetery.

Richard was born May 16, 1940 in Medford, Oregon to Tyley and May Evans. He graduated from Central Point High School (Oregon) in 1958. In 1962 he received the Bachelor’s of Music degree from Wheaton College in Illinois, and from there went on to graduate school at the University of Oregon, obtaining the Master’s of Music degree. While in graduate school, he met his future wife, Lottie Schuh, and they were married in 1965. Since college teaching was his goal, he returned to the University of Oregon to pursue a Doctor of the Musical Arts degree, awarded in 1970. Thus began his lifelong passion for college teaching.

Professionally, he loved teaching and his students alike. He spent most of his teaching career at Whitworth University (1973-2004) in Spokane, Washington, where he was professor of music, director of the wind ensemble, and music department chair. Richard made many close and enduring friendships during those years. Every other year, during January, he took students to San Francisco, and later to Europe, for the Jan Term Domain of the Arts study abroad program to see museums, art galleries, and concerts. Both he and Lottie traveled to Europe as much as possible during summers, affording them the opportunity to increase their knowledge of music and arts original source material, and of the peoples in the countries they visited.

Richard loved people and learning in general, and was very active professionally. He served Whitworth as its faculty president several times, he was president of the Washington College Music Council, lecturer in Humanities for the state of Washington, accreditation office for the National Association of Schools of Music, and a 50 year member of the National Music Educators Society, to name just a few of the organizations with which he was involved.
Richard loved God foremost, followed by family and friends. To that end, he served as director of music at Northwood Presbyterian Church (with Lottie as the organist), and later at Opportunity Presbyterian Church, all in Spokane. In Waco, he has been a faithful member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where he sang in the choir, enjoyed fellowship in the men’s breakfast group, served on various committees, and was part of the of the Education for Ministry class at the time of his passing. He also served as a verger. At the invitation of vergers of Hereford Cathedral, Richard took a group of vergers from the Diocese of Texas to Hereford, England in July of 2011 to visit churches in the area.

Besides music, sailing was his favorite hobby. Richard and Lottie spend many happy summers sailing on Loon Lake, just north of Spokane, Washington. He also enjoyed fishing and gardening, and later became a master gardener in Waco. Richard passed along his passion for gardening to his grandson Chandler.
Retiring to Waco brought him close to his beloved grandchildren Mikhayla and Chandler, son Bruce, and daughter-in-law Terri. Being close to family has been a wonderful blessing, enabling him to be an integral part of the family’s daily life, including numerous summer vacations. Richard will be sorely missed by his family and friends.

Richard is survived by his wife of 48 years, Lottie Schuh Evans, son, Bruce Evans and wife Terri Evans, grandchildren Mikhayla and Chandler Evans, all of Hewitt; son, David Evans of Lakewood, California; sister, Tylene Langslet of Gresham, Oregon; nephews, William Langslet of Hanoi, Vietnam, and Robert Langslet of New London, Connecticut, and many cousins and extended family in Medford, Oregon.

Many thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff of Providence Hospice and St. Catherine Center, who made his last days of life comfortable and special. Many thanks also to the clergy and friends of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Hewitt First United Methodist Church, and Lake Shore Baptist Church for their many visits and support.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Hewitt First United Methodist Church, and the Salvation Army.

Visitation

6 p.m. - 8 p.m. ,Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Grace Gardens Funeral Home Chapel
8220 Woodway Drive Waco, TX 76712

Funeral Service

10 a.m. ,Wednesday, July 3, 2013
St. Paul Episcopal Church
515 Columbus Ave. Waco, TX 76710