Donald H. "Don" Evans

July 20, 1929 – September 5, 2025

Donald H. "Don" Evans, age 96, of Cary, North Carolina, died peacefully on September 5, 2025, at the Avendelle on Kildaire Farm Assisted Living Facility. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of nearly seventy years, Anna Mae Evans; his parents, Harry D. and Loretta C. Evans; his brother, Merlin J. Evans; sister-in-law, Lois Evans; his in-laws, Kathleen and James Lynch, who emigrated from Ireland; his uncle-in-law, Cornelius O'Reilly; sister-in-law, Eileen Smith; brothers-in-law, Wilfred (Barney) Barnstead, George Smith, and James Lynch; and niece, Elizabeth Silva. He is survived by his son, James M. Evans; daughter, Julie Evans Ord (Rob), and his sister Marjorie Wheatley; sisters-in-law, Kathleen Theresa Barnstead, Louise Lynch, and Rose Marie Drumm; grandchildren, Lauren Ord (Kyle Wang), Jeffrey Ord (fiancée Margaret Mae Ireland), and Elyce Kathleen Evans (Matt Melcher); great-grandchildren, Declan Parker, Savannah Reese, and Crew Porter; nephews and nieces, John Evans (Shelley), Deborah Danko (James), James Eugene Lynch, Joanne Fiori (Terry), Todd Barnstead (Lisa), Christopher Drumm (Tawnya), Brian Drumm (Emilie) and James Smith (Holly); along with many loving grandnieces and grandnephews.

Don was born and raised in Elmira, New York, and graduated from Southside High School in 1947. He was a devout communicant of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Elmira, where he and Anna Mae were chosen by Father James Boyle to be among the first Eucharistic Ministers. They faithfully served in that ministry until 2000, when they moved to North Carolina. Don first worked at the Elmira Star Gazette, where he met Anna Mae, the love of his life. He later worked at Chemung Canal Bank as a teller before joining the City of Elmira Police Department on July 16, 1954. He served the citizens of Elmira with distinction until his retirement on April 1, 1990.In recognition of his thirty-six years of service, Mayor Daniel J. Mandell, Jr. recently proclaimed April 1st of each year as "Donald H. Evans Day" in Elmira. Don was named Officer of the Year in 1962 and received the B'nai B'rith Award for his heroic actions in saving the life of six-year-old Daniel Woodard through mouth-to-mouth resuscitation after a near-fatal sled accident. For more than twenty years, while serving as a police officer, he also worked as an orderly at Arnot-Ogden Memorial Hospital.

In 2000, Don and Anna Mae moved to Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, to be closer to their daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. They became communicants of St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church in Apex, North Carolina, where they formed many loving friendships. In retirement, Don enjoyed playing golf, learning to play the piano, and organizing a men's monthly breakfast club in the Village of Sippihaw, where he and Anna Mae lived for many years. He loved to bake his versions of Light's Bakery's "half-moon" cookies and Iszard's "brown bread." Don was also a proud member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Elmira.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Don's memory to Transitions LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607, or online at www.transitionslifecare.org/donate.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, September 19, 2025, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 224 Franklin St, Elmira, NY 14904. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the church, followed by Mass at 10:00 a.m. Don will be laid to rest in St. Peter and Paul's Cemetery, beside Anna Mae, his beloved wife. Arrangements are entrusted to Lynch Funeral Home, Inc., 318 West Broad Street, Horseheads, NY. Words of condolence and memories may be shared at www.lynchsfuneralhome.com Livestreaming available. Please visit www.elmiracatholic.org and scroll to the bottom and you will see where to stream for St. Mary's Church. You may also watch on Facebook or YouTube.