John "Jack" William Evans

John William "Jack" Evans, age 78, of La Grande died Thursday, August 24, 2006 at his home. A celebration of life will be held on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th Street, La Grande. Committal and interment will be held on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 at 2:00 p.m. at the Wallowa Cemetery in Wallowa. Viewing will be held on Monday, August 28, 2006 from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at Daniels Chapel of the Valley.

Mr. Evans was born on October 29, 1927, the son of James Ward and Myrtle Maude (West) Evans in Wallowa, Oregon. He grew up in Wallowa and graduated from Wallowa High School. After high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, where he served from April 1946 to October 1947. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English, with honors, from the University of Oregon in 1951 and a Master's Degree in Library Science from the University of Washington.

Mr. Evans married Dorothy Anna Anderson on June 17, 1951 in Burns, Oregon. They moved to Hermiston where he was the first full-time librarian for the Hermiston School District from 1953 to 1955. They moved to La Grande in 1956 when he accepted a job at Eastern Oregon College (now Eastern Oregon University). He was hired as a librarian at Walter M. Pierce Memorial Library, where he served until his retirement in 1987. He was the Library Director from 1974 until 1987.

Mr. Evans always enjoyed woodworking and he was an expert at furniture refinishing. He was an avid antique collector and was particularly fond of antique furniture, guns and tools. He was an expert on Victorian architecture. He also enjoyed oil painting, genealogy, classical music, bird watching, wildlife, writing, art, travel, auctions, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing and family time.

Mr. Evans was a member of MENSA, Phi Delta Kappa, the Elks Lodge, the American Legion, Sons of the American Revolution, Oregon Historical Society, Oregon-California Trails Association, Oregon Geographical Names Board and the Historic Preservation League of Oregon. He successfully proposed five buildings for the National Register of Historic Places, served on the State Historical Records Advisory Board from 1984 until 1995, helped start the Union County Historical Society and was a self-made expert on local history. In 1990 he authored "Powerful Rockey", a book about the Oregon Trail in the Blue Mountains area from 1811 to 1883.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Dorothy Evans; son and daughter-in-law, John Ward and Kathleen "Kit" Evans and granddaughters, Kelly Evans and Kathleen "Katie" Evans, all of La Grande.

Donations may be made in memory of Mr. Evans to the Blue Mtn. Humane Association or the Oregon Heart Association in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th Street, La Grande, Oregon 97850.