Emory Thomas "Tom" Evans

Emory Thomas (Tom) Evans, 93, a decorated 30-year U.S. Air Force veteran died peacefully on June 16, 2022, at his home by the rolling rapids of Tobesofkee Creek.

He and his late wife, Millie Evans, had four sons born on Air Force Bases (AFB) in Puerto Rico, Alabama, Florida and Missouri. Evans was very proud of his sons, and more than happy to let anyone know it. He also deeply loved his seven grandchildren, who called him “Papa,” and nieces and nephews who called him affectionately, “Uncle Tom.”

His kindness and generosity were featured traits of a personality that also brimmed with wit and humor. His finest hour may have been the loving care he gave his wife as she suffered several years with congestive heart failure. He slept in many a hospital chair, awakening to whatever troubled her, and providing comfort and support that no doubt prolonged her life.

Evans joined the Air Force in 1946, serving as a radio operator on a B-17 bomber converted for air-sea rescue stationed at Ramey AFB in Puerto Rico. He also was a radio man in a PBY Catalina air-sea rescue plane during that same assignment. While stationed in Puerto Rico Tom and Millie became HAM radio operators and communicated widely long before home wireless became popular. He quickly advanced up the ranks, switching to aircraft and missile maintenance as he became one of youngest airmen to become a Chief Master Sergeant – the highest rank attainable for a non-commissioned officer in the Air Force.

He was stationed at Ramstein AFB in Germany – still a mainstay U.S. military and NATO presence in Europe – in the crucial cold war years of 1960-1964. He was at Ramstein in October 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis – a tense nuclear standoff between the United States and the former U.S.S.R. The Berlin Wall divided that city and the Soviets held East Germany and much of Eastern Europe. The world stood on the brink of war for 13 days until the Soviets removed their missiles from Cuba.

He later taught missile guidance systems at Tyndall AFB in Florida and, after active duty, became program manager of AIM-7 and AIM-9 missile maintenance at Robins AFB in Georgia near his hometown of Macon. He was an avid and accomplished fisherman, with the patience and guile to catch many a striped and wide-mouth bass, some of the largest of which are mounted on the walls of the family home.

He was a Sunday School teacher for many years at Midway Baptist Church in Lizella, coached Little League Baseball and practiced with his sons in whatever sport they were undertaking at school. Two of his sons went to the University of Georgia, so of course he was a rabid Dawg fan and had season tickets for decades. Breaking the 41-year championship drought before he died was a grand moment for the family. He began watching the Braves with his father and two brothers, one of whom said once, “Well, Bob Horner hit four home runs and the Braves still lost.”

In the end, it was his humor that sustained him, that sustained us all. “Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry alone,” he said.

In Puerto Rico, Tom and Millie were barely out of their teens and living on banana sandwiches until his first paycheck came in. One day he brought home a basket of huge eggs. As Millie marveled at their size, Tom explained, “These are rooster eggs.”

“Roosters lay eggs?!” Millie said.

“Well, they don’t really like too,” Tom said.

Emory Thomas Evans is preceded in death by his wife Millie Doris Evans; his father and mother, Wyatt Evans and Callie Evans; brothers Wyatt Evans Jr. and William Evans; and nephews Carl Morgan, Bucky Evans and Greg Evans.

Survivors include his sons, Emory Thomas Evans Jr, (Joanna) of Hampton, Virginia; Gary David Evans (Jenny) of Athens, Georgia; Scott Eric Evans of Macon; and Robert Edward Evans (Heather) of Macon; Sister-in-law Glenda Miles of Rome, Georgia; and grandchildren Erin Loretta Evans, Callie Joe Evans, Millie Rose Evans, Connor Thomas Evans, Callie Winslow Evans, Dylan Emory Thomas Evans, and Emory Kate Evans. Surviving nieces include Cathy Evans and Vickie Evans.

The family will hold a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2022, at Hart’s Mortuary on Cherry Street.  The family will greet friends for a reception following the service.

Please visit www.hartsmort.com to express condolences.

Hart’s on Cherry Street, Hart's Mortuary and Cremation Center, 765 Cherry Street, Macon, GA 31201 has charge of the arrangements.

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