Gene Monroe Evans

Gene Monroe Evans Sr., 78, of Owasso, OK, passed away peacefully on December 18, 2022 with his wife, children, and grandchildren lovingly by his side.  Gene was born on October 14, 1944 to Murray and Sara Evans in Oklahoma City, OK.  After graduating in 1962 from Del City High School, he joined the United States Marine Corp Reserves.  He was awarded a Rifle Expert badge during his 8 years of service and received an honorable discharge.

Gene worked at the Barton Theater in the Del City area during high school.  It was there that he met the love of his life, Trudy Kay Byrd.  They married on December 14, 1963 and have been married for 59 wonderful years.  Gene and Trudy made their first home together in a shanty that was built on the back of a house in Southeast Oklahoma City.  Gene gained employment with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1963 and they eventually moved to a home on Shallow Brook Drive in Southeast Oklahoma City.  This was the beginning of a 30-year career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company that ended with retirement in 1993 in Tulsa, OK.  In 1966, Trudy gave birth to a son, Gene Monroe Evans, Jr. while living on Shallow Brook Drive.  Gene’s job soon took them to Ada, OK, but during a visit to see family in Del City in 1969, their family was complete, as son, Christopher Brian Evans, was born. As Gene’s career grew with Southwestern Bell, they found themselves in several different locations while the boys were growing up.  These included Ada, Del City, Owasso, Tuttle, and finally Broken Arrow where he retired.

Following retirement, Gene and Trudy continued to reside in Broken Arrow for a couple of years.  In 1996, they sold their home and bought a luxury RV and headed to Branson, MO.  They lived in the Treasure Lake Resort for several years before building a home in Highlandville, MO.  They loved resort life and met many many couples who shared that same love.  Gene played the guitar with others in the resort for fun and he and Trudy would often be seen spinning across the dance floor at routine resort dances in the clubhouse. They also enjoyed evenings spent with friends playing various card games or just sitting in their lawn chairs sharing stories of travel, family, and life in general.  One of the highlights of each summer for Gene and Trudy was when all their grandchildren would come spend a week with them at the resort.

In 1998, Gene decided to go back to work, but in a more relaxed and fun environment.  He took a job in the games division with Celebration City in Branson, MO.  Celebration City was owned by Silver Dollar City and when they closed the amusement park permanently in 2008, he moved over to Silver Dollar City and worked in the leather shop.  After several years in the leather shop, he was asked to be the Senior Craftsman at the Candle Shop where he finished his career with Silver Dollar City, retiring after 20+ years in 2019.  He had mastered the art of candle-making, teaching on-lookers from all over the country, but his true mastery, was in the art of making people smile and laugh, the art of making friends.

Gene loved God first and foremost.  He raised his sons in church, and he led by example at home.  He loved to have open discussions about the bible with family and friends.  Second, he loved his wife Trudy with all his heart.  They shared some wonderful adventures in their 59 years of marriage. Last, but not least, he loved his family fiercely.  He was an amazing husband, father, and grandfather.  His legacy of love will live on in each of us.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Murray and Sara Evans, and a brother and sister-in-law, Tommy and Willie Evans.  He is survived by his wife, Trudy, of the home, sons and daughter-in-law’s, Gene and Sonia Evans, Skiatook, OK and Christopher and Angela Evans, Mustang, OK.  He leaves 6 grandchildren, Amanda Mori (Darrell), Krista Aguilar (Fredi), Meighan Combs (Corey), Cody Evans, Ashlyn Evans, Hunter Evans, and 2 great-grandchildren, Hana and Sora Aguilar. He is also survived by brother Bob Evans (Ann) of Anadarko, OK; brother Rick Evans (Louise) of Tuttle, OK; sister Sharon Morie (Scott) of Stillwater, OK, and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.

Graveside services are being held for Gene on Thursday, December 29, 2022 at the Veterans Memorial in the Osage Gardens Cemetery in Skiatook, OK at 2:00pm.