Obituary of William Thomas Evans Sr

William Thomas Evans, age 88, died on June 22nd, 2020. Bill had been a resident of Country Place subdivision in Pearland, Texas from July 2018 until his death at Memorial Hermann Pearland Hospital. Bill was born to David William and Audrey Cecilia Evans in Sylvania, Ohio on May 26, 1932. He was a veteran of the Korean War serving his country from 1952 to 1955 at Amarillo Air Force Base in Amarillo, Texas. He was a jet mechanic instructor. He met his wife of over 60 years, Elvira Sophronia Boyd, while serving in Amarillo. Bill is survived by his wife Elvira, their eight children: Sharon Horrell (Amarillo, TX), Vivian Latimer (Amarillo, TX), Angela Green (Lubbock, TX), Shirley Brashears (Cypress, TX), Esther Brown (Amarillo, TX), William T Evans II (Pearland, TX), Margaret Buchanan (Denton, TX), and Douglas Evans (Amarillo, TX) and 14 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Roger and Jerald, his sisters Audrey, Ann Marleen and Janice, his grandson Kevin King Brashears and his granddaughter Valerie Latimer. Bill graduated from UT-Arlington with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. This was accomplished while working full-time with five young children and would not have been possible without his supportive, loving wife Elvira. During his engineering career, Bill worked for Texas Instruments in Dallas, TX and Ridgecrest, CA where he worked on various missile guidance projects. Bill returned the family to Amarillo in 1968 when he accepted a job for Mason & Hanger - Silas Mason at the Pantex Plant where he was responsible for the testing of nuclear weapons and electronic security. Bill had a lifelong love of flying airplanes. He received his pilot’s license while living in Ridgecrest. He started a flying club in Amarillo to finance a Cessna 150 he had financial responsibility for while in Ridgecrest. He built the flying club into a charter aircraft and maintenance business with up to 6 airplanes and purchased a small airport located on 100 acres of land near Conway, Texas. He also farmed the 100 acres for a short period of time. Bill never really retired after the airport was sold during the oil bust in the late 1980’s. He loved to stay busy using his mechanical and electrical skills. He grew up on a farm in Sylvania, Ohio and put that work ethic, mechanical and repair skills, and problem-solving ability to good use as an aircraft maintenance instructor in Houston, Tx; auto mechanic; boat mechanic; and mower and small engine mechanic. He started a small engine and mower repair business in Chappell Hill, TX in 2008. He finally retired from his mower and engine repair business in 2018 due to health issues. Cremation services were provided by Clayton Funeral Home, Pearland, Texas. Air Force Military Funeral Honors will be held Friday, July 24th at 2:15 pm at the Houston National Cemetery. Interment will be at the Houston National cemetery following the military honors ceremony.