Obituary of Mary Kathryn Evans

Mary Kathryn (Kay) Evans entered into the presence of her heavenly Father on the evening of February 16, 2017. A service to remember Mary Kay’s life will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, February 20 at First Baptist Church in Troup with Rev. Clint Covington officiating. Interment will follow at Pinecrest Cemetery in Troup under the direction of Cottle Funeral Home. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the service. Mary Kay was born to Laverne and Marguerite (Dishongh) Callender on April 20, 1940 in Jacksonville, Texas. She was the oldest of the Callender’s three daughters. She attended Troup schools until her graduation in 1958. Following high school, Kay studied for two years at Tyler Junior College and was a proud member of the Apache Band. Kay then spent her junior and senior years at Baylor University where she graduated in 1962. In August of 1962 Kay married the love of her life, Philip Glen Evans. The couple remained in Waco while Glen completed his studies at Baylor and Kay began her long career as an elementary school teacher. After leaving Waco in 1963, Kay taught at schools in Cleveland (Texas) and Whitehouse (Texas) and then began teaching at her beloved Troup Elementary in 1967 until her retirement in 1997. She spent most of her thirty years in Troup as a third-grade teacher- a job that she cherished in a community that she loved. Above everything else in Kay’s life, she was first and foremost a child of God. Her faith in her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was evidenced in every facet of her life. As a member of First Baptist Church in Troup, she taught Sunday school for many years, sang in the choir, and served wherever there was a need. She had a special passion for working with young children and for helping her elderly friends by visiting shut-ins and sending cards to them on every possible occasion. In the latter years of her life, Kay was a member of First Baptist Church in Mixon and Blackjack Baptist Church where she continued to faithfully serve the Lord until moving to an assisted living community in Tyler. There, she enjoyed the weekly Bible studies and was still able to sing all the words of her favorite hymns until the final few months of her life. Kay was an incredible supporter of her family, never missing a ballgame, recital, or any other function that included one of her children or grandchildren. She loved visiting with her sisters and their families and especially enjoyed the family gatherings in Bedias, Texas. She also loved her extended Evans family and enjoyed living on “Evans Hill.” Kay is preceded in death by her parents and her husband of forty-three years, Glen. Other family members who have preceded her in death include her sister Betty Jean Ramsey, her sisters-in-law Joan Evans and Jean Evans as well as her brothers-in-law Dean Evans and Gene Gillis. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Greg and Paula Evans of Tyler and her daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Clint Covington of Troup. She will be greatly missed by her grandchildren Drew Evans, Haley Evans, Avery Covington and Cade Covington. She is also survived by her sister Helen Cole and her husband Jerry of Bedias, her sisters-in-law June Gillis of Tyler and Linda Kay Evans of Troup, and Jane Evans of Katy, her brothers-in-law Carrel Ramsey of Palacios and Robert Evans and his wife Margie of Tyler well as numerous nieces and nephews. Grandsons and nephews will serve as pallbearers. The family would like to say a special thank you to the many caregivers at The Hamptons at Pine Forest who lovingly cared for Kay over the past two years as well as the staff of the Hospice of East Texas who took care of her every need during the last few months of her life. Memorials, if desired, may be sent to the Troup Education Foundation, Grace Community School in Tyler, or the Life Blessings program at First Baptist Church in Whitehouse.