February 23, 1929 – June 30, 2021
George Evans, 92, of Belle Fourche and formerly of Isabel died June 30, 2021 at the Belle Estate in Belle Fourche.
His funeral service will be held 10:30 a.m. MT on Thursday, July 8, 2021 at Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche.
Interment will take place at Pine Slope Cemetery.
George Orville Evans was born February 23, 1929 in Hayes to Stanley and Hazel (Johnson) Evans, the oldest of four children.
George grew up south of Hayes and attended the Liberty Country School and Midland High School.
He was united in marriage to Alice Willoughby on August 27, 1950 in Midland. They made their home on the Sodak Ranch, where George worked. In 1952 their daughter Valerie was born. Later, George took a position with the SD Highway Department in Hayes. In 1961 they moved to Isabel, when he was promoted to Highway Maintenance Superintendent for District 4.
George retired in 1989 after 35 years with the SD Department of Transportation. It was a job he loved. Going to work every day for 35 years was something he really did enjoy. George and Alice spent two summers at Indian Creek Memorial Campground, near Mobridge where George worked as the fee collector for the Corps of Engineers. In 1992 they moved to Belle Fourche where he worked part time as a driver for Harold’s Delivery and Fuji Film, delivering in the Northern Hills area. He also worked part time for the Butte County Conservation District.
George loved buying new cars, coin collecting, but most of all he loved people. He never met a stranger; no matter where he went, he made friends who remembered his smile and “bigger than life” laugh.
He was always active in the communities he lived in. He was a fireman and member of the church council, the Isabel Rodeo Association, a 65-year member of the Masonic Lodge, Masons, Naja Shriners and a member of St. James Lutheran Church. In 2013 he was proud to have been chosen the honoree at the Isabel Rodeo.
After an accident in 2019, George and Alice moved into assisted living at Belle Estate in Belle Fourche. George loved it there. The staff provided wonderful care to him, and he loved them all.
Grateful for sharing his life are his wife of 70 years, Alice of Belle Fourche; daughter, Valerie (Al) Garr of Belle Fourche; grandson, Tigh Garr of Belle Fourche; great-grandson, Preston Garr of Rapid City; two sisters, Beverly Telford of Novato, CA and Betty Shannon of Sturgis; two sisters-in-law, Verona Evans of Rapid City and Irene Willoughby of Pierre; numerous nieces and nephews; and many friends and relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter Constance Marie; grandson Harvey Albert Garr Jr; an infant brother; brother Robert “Bob” Evans; and brothers-in-law, Gene Telford, Phil Shannon, and Wallace Willoughby.