Hope Knight Evans, 98, of Clarkesville, formerly of Pawleys Island and Greenville, SC died Monday, August 29, 2016 after a long period of declining health.
Born in Chanute, Kansas on June 30, 1918, she was the daughter of the late Robert Edward Lee Knight and Helen Myrtle Taylor Odekirk.
Hope grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and Tulsa, Oklahoma, graduating from Collinsville High School in 1937. After working as a secretary in Tulsa and Salt Lake City she married her high school sweetheart, Theodore R. Evans on August 19, 1940 in Raton, New Mexico. They moved to Des Moines, Iowa for Ted’s job with J C Penny & Co. After the Pearl Harbor attack and the US entry into WWII they moved back to Collinsville, OK and both worked for E I DuPont in the war effort. After Ted joined the US Navy, Hope lived in Sacramento, California until the end of the war and Ted’s return to civilian life.
Ted’s job with The Associates Finance Company of South Bend, Indiana gave Hope the challenge of being a supportive wife of a successful corporate executive that led them to live in Tulsa, Beaumont, Texas, Oklahoma City, Lansing, Michigan and then finally South Bend, Indiana. During this time, Hope had three sons and supported her husband’s rise to president of a nationwide consumer finance company. They traveled for business and pleasure most of the US from New York to California as well as Canada, Mexico, England, Europe, and Australia.
Hope served as the first president for the United Methodist Women of the South Bend United Methodist Church. She also was a longtime member of PEO holding many events to help their chapter’s fundraising. Hope also was very active in the South Bend Hospital Women’s Auxiliary.
When Ted retired from The Associates in 1975, they moved to Greenville, SC buying a Chevrolet Dealership with long time friend Tom Benson, operating that until 1980. This gave Hope and Ted much more time to spend at their old beach house at Pawleys Island, SC, The Pelican Inn, which they had owned since 1970. She loved the spring and fall time spent at Pawleys and the many interesting guests that frequented The Pelican Inn. She loved hosting the Saturday morning drop in on Labor Day weekend after the annual Pawleys Island Civic Association meeting. Hope and Ted were both founding members of St. Paul’s Waccamaw United Methodist Church. After her beloved Ted died in 1997, Hope moved to Pawleys Island where she lived until her move to Clarkesville, GA in 2007. She was a member of Clarkesville UMC until she joined St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church. Her younger brother Robert Edward Knight and her eldest son Theodore Michael Evans predeceased her.
Hope is survived by; sons, John C. Evans (Connie) of Greenville, SC, David R. Evans (Louise) of Clarkesville, GA, grandchildren Hope Ann Dize (Shane), Elizabeth E. Williams, T. R. Pryse Evans, John D. Evans (Chastity), Michael F. Evans, Christopher M. Evans (Susan), Mary E. Mangels (JR), and Lillie G. Evans and numerous great-grandchildren, as well as nephews Doug Knight of Aurora, CO, Rodney Knight (Barbara) of Delta Junction, AK, Scott Knight (Debbie) of Lakewood, CO.
The family will receive friends Friday, September 2nd, from 2-4 PM and from 6-8 PM at Hillside Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 3rd at 11:00 AM at St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church, Alto, GA with Fr. Gene Mallard, Vicar officiating. Interment will be in Ridgelawn Cemetery, Collinsville, OK on Saturday, September 10th.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church, 1636 Mud Creek Rd, Alto, GA 30510.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at HillsideMemorialChapel.com.
Hillside Memorial Chapel & Gardens, 5495 HWY 197 S., Clarkesville, GA 30523 is in charge of arrangements. 706-754-6256
