Donald Edward Evans (1916-2007)

EVANS, HOLLAND, LAKE, RILEY, HANSON, TERRY, WEIDEMANN

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 2/3/2008 at 11:19:17

THE STORY CITY HERALD, Story City, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, February 7, 2007.

Donald Edward Evans, 90, of Dows passed away Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2007, at the Wright Medical Center in Clarion, Iowa.

Funeral services for Donald Evans were held on Monday, Jan. 29, 2007, at the First Lutheran Church in Dows at 11 a.m., with Pastor Robert Edwards officiating. Burial followed in the Otis Grove Cemetery in Dows, Iowa.

Donald Edward Evans, the son of Edward and Isabelle (Holland) Evans, was born on the family farm south of Dows on Nov. 16, 1916.

He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church. Don attended the Vernon #7 Country School and graduated from the Dows High School in 1934. He then attended a business college in Omaha, Nebraska; while there, he worked in a mortuary and a famous cafeteria in downtown Omaha. He later went to California and worked on the General Motors assembly line. He returned to the farm and started farming in 1936.

On August 12, 1939, he and Arleta Lake were united in marriage, and to this union six children were born: Gary, Roger, Veda Mae (deceased), Edward (deceased), Charlotte, and Mark. They continued farming until 1977 when they began "motorhoming" and traveled to all 50 states.

Donald was an avid reader and had the ability to retain all he read, which was his map for all their travels. He enjoyed bookstores and spent hours browsing through them.

Donald is survived by Arleta, his wife of 67 years; four children, Gary of Townsend, Massachussets, Roger (Vipa) of Chaingmai, Thailand, Charlotte (Mark) Riley of West Des Moines, Mark (Cherise) Evans of Nevada; 15 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; three step-granddaughters; four step great-grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by four sisters-in-law, Letha Hanson of Hubbard, Herbie Lake of Hubbard, Lois Terry of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Norma Lake of Webster City.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Kermit and Floyd; four half brothers, Amos, Dan, Alger, and Leo; one half-sister, Gail Weidemann; one son, Edward; one baby daughter, Veda Mae; and one grandson, Abraham Riley.