John Evans Obituary

John Evans Kingstree, SC - Johnny Evans, widower of Ellen Swails Evans, passed away peacefully in his sleep during the early hours of the morning of September 18, 2022 at Franke at Seaside in Mt. Pleasant. He was less than a month shy of his 95th birthday. Johnny was born on October 16, 1927 in Kingstree, SC, the son of J. Workman Evans, Sr. and Trent Dye Evans. He and Ellen were childhood sweethearts and lived only two blocks from each other in the idyllic setting of their Kingstree neighborhood of the Depression and early war years. They were married in November 1947 and celebrated 66 years of marriage until Ellen's death in December 2013. Johnny was a classic overachiever. He was in the Clemson College Class of 1948, but finished early in the fall of 1947, because "that's what you're supposed to do." Cadet Evans serenaded his fellow cadets with reveille and taps each day, became a cadet chaplain, and was invited to become a member of Blue Key, Tiger Brotherhood, and the national engineering honor society Tau Beta Pi. He began his teaching career as an Instructor of Physics at The Citadel in January, 1948, and soon transitioned into his first love, electrical engineering, where the cadets labeled him "Ready Kilowatt" because of his hyper-zealousness of the subject. The couple lived with the other young faculty at the Old Citadel on Marion Square where they formed lifetime friendships. Lt. Evans served in the US Army in Germany during the Korean War where he swore his presence there guaranteed that the Russians would not invade the West. Johnny found his way to the private sector at International Paper in Georgetown in 1955 and then on to Westvaco in 1959. That's where he had his most fun and achieved the most professionally, yucking it up with the fellas and ladies in The Zoo and eventually retiring as Chief Electrical Engineer in 1993. Johnny was most proud of being a lifelong Presbyterian, serving as a member of the Session in 3 different churches well into his 90s. When asked to serve that last time he said, "They need my wisdom." He is survived by his son, Jack (Evie), of Mt. Pleasant; son, Frank, of Columbia; his grandchildren, Drew (Kelly) and their children, Owen and Rhys, Emily Limehouse (Thomas) and their children, Louise and John Forrest; Forrest Evans (Anna) and their daughter, Eliza, all of Mt. Pleasant; and Kell Evans of Columbia. Finally, Johnny is survived by his goddaughter, Lucie Smunk (Bill) of Kingstree, who was the daughter he never had, and a special nephew, David Evans (Stephanie). It is because of these wonderful people and their families that Johnny's 22 years back in Kingstree were so enjoyable In addition to Ellen, Johnny was predeceased by his parents, his brother, Willard Dye Evans, and a great-grandson, Thomas Ashley Limehouse, III. The family wishes to express their sincere thanks and appreciation of Miss Bea Fleming of Kingstree who spoiled "Mr. Johnny" rotten since Ellen's passing, the wonderful staff at Dr. Allen's office in Kingstree where he felt like Norm on "Cheers" whenever he walked in; and to the exceptional people at Franke at Seaside that made his six month stay so fantastic. The Service to the Witness of the Resurrection will be at 2pm, Saturday, September 24, 2022, at the Williamsburg Presbyterian Church in Kingstree. Visitation with be a 1:00 in Grace Hall right next to the sanctuary. Memorials can be made to Williamsburg Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Renovation Fund, 411 N. Academy Street, Kingstree, SC 29556. Online condolences may be sent to the family on the obituary page at www.WilliamsburgFuneralHome.com. Visit our guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/charleston