Jan 22, 1946 – May 02, 2025
Charles “Chuck” Ray Evans of Olathe, Kansas, passed away peacefully on May 2nd with wife Jenilee “Jeni” Evans by his side.
Chuck was born in Evansville, Indiana on January 22, 1946. If you know him well, he has many stories from his younger years that made him strong in character and determination. He later joined the Army in 1966. A few short months later he met his wife on New Years Eve at a USO club dance. They were engaged a month later and married on May 8, 1967, in Couer d’Alene, Idaho. Then exactly a month after they were married, he landed in Viet Nam.
After time in Viet Nam they moved to Villa Park, Illinois to be close to Chuck’s family. Then they spent one exceedingly long year living in Hackensack, New Jersey. After that they went closer to Jeni’s home state and lived in Vancouver, WA for many years where he worked in sales. It was there that he found his new family. Three sisters-in-law (Sylvia, Gail, and Jackie) who were like sisters to him and a brother-in-law (Gary) who was his true brother in spirit. He was close to his nephew Greg and niece Nicole as he watched them grow into adulthood.
Jeni’s job took them to Kansas in 1988. Chuck continued to work in sales in Kansas until he retired in 2009. During this time, he and Jeni were adjunct professors for Baker University, Chuck took a lot of pride in his and others education and loved teaching and learning. In the few years leading up to retirement Chuck became the Grand Uncle to three incredibly special kids, Davis, Carson, and Harper. He missed very few of their events or activities and spent as much time loving them and cheering them on as he could.
Following retirement Chuck volunteered at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, specifically in the old-time bank. He had a lot of fun meeting and greeting and educating people that came into the bank. He also volunteered at Olathe Medical Center from 2010 until the day he suffered a stroke after a volunteer shift while enjoying lunch in the cafeteria there. He loved being a help to others all of his days.
Chuck is survived by his wife Jeni Evans, his sister Laura Clark, brother Mike Walley, sister-in-law Jackie DeVore, brother-in-law Gary DeVore, brother-in-law Kevin Dougherty, brother-in-law Carl Dollina, niece Lindsey (John) Gerszewski and niece Leslie Clark, niece Nicole (Keith) Ratzlaff and their children Davis, Carson and Harper Ratzlaff, nephew Greg DeVore and his children Jessica, Gavin and Kyle DeVore, nephew James Dollina, niece Kelly Blackledge. Chuck is preceded in death by his best pups Cubby and Nub, his parents Barbara and Ray Evans, sisters-in-laws Sylvia Dollina and Gail Dougherty, nieces Cynthia and Jennifer Dollina.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Olathe Medical Center Charitable Foundation for the Ambassadors (Donate to Olathe Health Charitable Foundation), Olathe Animal Shelter @ 505 E. Sunvale Dr, Olathe KS 66061, or St. Paul Catholic Church Capital Campaign @ 21650 W 115th Terrace, Olathe KS 66061.
Services to honor Chuck will be held at St. Paul Catholic Church on May 12th (Visitation 9AM, Mass 10AM), followed by a burial service with an honor guard at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery 15800 South Hwy, US-169, Olathe KS 66062.
Obituary published by Cremation Society of Kansas & Missouri.
