Maxine Evans

Maxine Elizabeth Wright Evans, after celebrating her 101st birthday just 41 days prior, passed away the morning of July 2, 2011, in the Health Center at Friendship Village of Dublin, Ohio. Born on a farm in Miami County, Ohio, to Ira A. and Bessie Folker Wright on May 22, 1910, she was the first of five children. All of her siblings, Corral Hartman, Elmer Wright, Betty Henn and Bob Wright, have preceded her in death. Most of her youth and young womanhood were spent in the Verona, Ohio, area. She had several serious diseases as a child – including the once dreaded polio – so she was more surprised than anyone that she lived for so many years. On December 26, 1931, she married John H. Evans, a union that lasted 64 years before his death in October 1995, and produced two children, Joan Evans Hayslip, now of Dublin, Ohio, and Donovan Lee Evans, now of Mesa, Arizona. The couple and their two children moved to Lewisburg, Ohio, in 1945, where they lived for 12 years. During that time, they remained active members of the Evangelical United Brethren Church (now the United Methodist Church) of Verona. Mrs. Evans practiced her deep faith through her church, teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for many years. In 1957, the couple moved to the Cincinnati area where they lived until after their retirement in 1972, making many new friends particularly through their participation in the North College Hill EUB church where she served as Children’s Director and Sunday School teacher. The couple retired to Hilliard, Ohio, in about 1974, again establishing many dear friends through their chosen church, Hilliard UM, before eventually taking up residence in Friendship Village of Dublin in 1994. Mrs. Evans’ quality of life had deteriorated over the last year, but the last few months had seen her drifting toward the unresponsive state she was in during her last few weeks. Through her deep faith and caring nature, she was prepared for this inevitable passing for some time. In addition to her two children, Mrs. Evans is survived by eight grandchildren, Jerl R. “Rick” Hayslip, Mark R. “Randy” Hayslip, Rodney D. Hayslip, Jon R. “Rob” Hayslip, Roger A. Hayslip, Anthony D. Evans, Anne Evans Benson and Cheryl Evans Durkin; 18 great grandchildren; and 2 great-great grandchildren. Viewing is scheduled for 9 to 11 am on July 20, 2011, with a celebration-of-life service following from 11 am to 12 noon, both at Tidd Funeral Home, 5265 Norwich St in Hilliard, Ohio. Interment will be in the Roselawn Cemetery in Lewisburg, Ohio, at 12 noon on Thursday, July 21, 2011. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Maxine Evans’ name to the Operating Expenses at the Verona United Methodist Church in Verona, Ohio, a church she always considered as the home of her religious roots.