David W Evans

David Willard Evans

July 4, 1938 – September 19, 2024

My life on Earth has ended and I have no regrets.  I had a long life, beat the life expectancy, had good health and was safe from any major trauma. 

I was born to Irene (Westbury) and Henry Evans proudly on the Fourth of July in 1938 in St. Paul, MN at a great time in history, after the Depression was mostly over, WWI was well over, I was too young for both WWII and Korean Wars, and able to complete my service before the Vietnam War was in full swing, all which could have given me a tragically short life. 

Yet, I was glad to experience the “Home Front” in WWII, radio still in its heyday, TV in its infancy, passenger trains locally, education in an old school building, corner grocery stores and the infancy of the computer age; and life a lot simpler in many respects.  

I was very fortunate to experience growing up with a sibling, Barbara, only 21 months older than me, who provided me with two wonderful nieces and a nephew and their future families, with many happy memories of watching them growing into successful adults.  I have wonderful memories of playing with them especially on Friday evenings and ball in their backyard, sledding in the park in Winter and pool days at Erb Pool in the Summer.   

I have felt so lucky to have come here to Appleton so early in life in October of 1939 when grandfather, (W.A. Westbury), became President and Chairman of the Board of the Appleton Chair Corp.  I always believed there wasn’t a better place to grow up and live and I never wanted to leave, despite the long winters I never got used to.

Growing up and living 47 years across from Pierce Park provided me so many happy memories of City Band Concerts, winter sledding, 4th of July celebrations, summer softball and Recreational Dept. activities, and swings. 

Other happy memories through the years include:  playing in the ravine behind the house, first wagon and bike, jigsaw puzzles, card and board games, Christmas Day, 1st day of summer vacation, radio programs, 1st TV, parades, Saturday afternoon movies and Friday night shopping both in town, meeting passenger trains at the Appleton Junction, State Fairs, watching sunrises in winter over Pierce Park, first robin sighting, electric train, getting spring and summer clothes out of the cedar chest, first time dry enough to play baseball, light enough and dry enough to play with my wagon after supper and later to ride my bike, hearing mowers cutting grass first time in spring across the street before Jefferson School was built, and watching for the first snowflake in Fall.  

My biggest adventure in life, and my most proud, is having the honor to serve my country in the Air Force (1961-65) in Turkey, Japan and California gathering Electronic Intelligence near the Russian border and to have earned a B.A. and M.A. afterward, using the G.I. Bill at UW-Oshkosh.

I was fortunate to have been a charter member of both the Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 351 (1987) and Fox Valley Veterans Council (2000), serving many offices and committees, and being asked to play a major role in the creation of the Veteran Memorial in the Outagamie Administration Building.

My long association with the Outagamie History Museum brought great pleasure and great friends, having served on the Board just short of 42 years, and as a weekly volunteer since about 1985.  It was a great time to be involved, as the Historical Society was being rejuvenated from a once a year operation to pretty much a daily operation.  

Some of my passions in life have been:  local history, gardening and yard work, baseball games at Goodland Field and Fox Cities Stadium, Packers and reading about WWII.

I will miss the following survivors:  Nieces and Nephew:  Anne (Randall) Bullock and their children; Nathan, Ian and Emma; Susan (Rick) Sanderfoot and their children; Thomas (Clare), Nicole, and Matthew (fiancée McKenna); Christopher (Julie) Rendall and their children; Zachary (Sara) and Adam.  I am also survived by my great-great niece Madelyn Sanderfoot.  I was preceded in death by my parents, Irene Evans and Henry Evans, and sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and Richard Rendall. 

In case you want to visit, I will be residing at Highland Memorial Cemetery, and no appointment is necessary.  

The family would like to thank the staff at Oakridge Gardens (Martha, Joua, Lori and Moe),  Moments Hospice (Malissa, Kim, Dariya and Nell) and David’s wonderful neighbors and friends who kept a watchful eye over him.  Per David’s request we will have a Celebration of Life Picnic on October 11, 2024, 5:00-8:00 pm, at Van Zeeland Park, 227 Darboy Rd, Combined Locks.  Please wear patriotic colors, if you’d like.