Alexander (Al) Evans, Jr.

Funeral services for Mr. Alexander (Al) Hansford Evans, Jr., 93, of Silver Point will be held Saturday, May 13th at 12 p.m. in the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville.

Mr. Evans died Sunday evening, April 23rd at Ascension St. Thomas DeKalb Hospital in Smithville following complications from a brief bout of pneumonia. He was very active and vibrant prior to his sudden illness.

He was born in November 12, 1929 in Belzoni, MS to the late Alexander H. and Ethel M. Evans.

He was a member of the 1948 graduating class of Inverness High School (MS). After high school, he attended Sunflower Junior College in Moorhead, MS for 1 ½ years, and then enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1949. He proudly served for over 3 years during the Korean War and was stationed in Tokyo, Japan for over 2 years where he worked as a Top-Secret Control Clerk in the Adjutant General’s office.

In 1952, he was honorably discharged from the Air Force and worked as the Deputy City Clerk for the city of Indianola, MS until 1954, when he enrolled at Memphis State University. He graduated with a degree in marketing in 1959. Mr. Evans started a successful 38-year career in the transportation industry selling ground freight services to businesses in North America. He began his profession as a billing clerk while attending college and was hired as a salesman in Memphis upon graduation. Mr. Evans eventually rose to become Southeast Regional Sales Director after his promotion to Nashville in 1975. He retired as a Terminal Manager in 1994 and permanently relocated to the Center Hill Lake area shortly there afterward.

"The Mayor", “Big Al” or “Papaw” as he was known, leaves a legacy of love, humor, family, and sports. He especially enjoyed golf and served as a volunteer Ranger at Southern Hills Golf and Country Club in Cookeville for 22 years. He was also the club’s eldest member and continued to play golf there until recent years. Although a Methodist, he would ignore its doctrine to enjoy fried catfish at other church denominations in the area. He had a savant’s ability to remember your name and birthday. He particularly enjoyed both practical jokes and a dry wittiness. He loved dining and holding court at the Rose Garden restaurant in Silver Point. Mr. Evans was a loyal, reliable, and consistently impatient friend. Squirrels, chipmunks, and racoons in the Upper Cumberland region can breathe a sigh of relief with the news of his passing.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his 6 siblings: Pat (Thelma) Ware, Agnes (Van) Lawshe; Mildred (Howard) King; Louise (Arthur) Nix; Marge (Jim) Rodgers, and William (Evelyn) Evans.

Survivors include son, Alex (Lisa) Evans of Franklin; granddaughter Abby Evans of Irondale, AL; grandson Brady Evans of Sparta; step-granddaughter Taylor (Bryce) Whitman of Chattanooga; nieces Julia Carpenter of Madison, MS; Judith (Russ) Barrett of Roanoke Rapids, NC; Lynda Antici of Lyon, MS; Kathy (Touraj) Boussina of San Carlos, CA; Susan Taylor of Russellville, KY; nephews Jim (Bev) Ware of Richmond, VA; William Evans Jr., and David Evans (Dara) all from Athens, Al; Brad (Marcia) Wheeler of Grayridge, MO; Scott (Laurie) Wheeler, David (Melina) Wheeler all of Essex, MO; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation, PO Box 871847, Kansas City, MO 64187; pkdcure@pkdcure.org; 816.931.2600 or the American Cancer Society; donate.cancer.org; 800.227.234

Mr. Evans’ family will receive friends Saturday the 13th beginning at 10 a.m. until the services start at 12 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment with military honors will follow at 3 p.m. at Woodlawn Memorial Park, Garden of Time section, 660 Thompson Ln., Nashville.

Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home (931)526-6111 is in charge of arrangements.  Share memories and condolences at hhhfunerals.com