Betty Jo Evans, a caring wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed to eternal rest on October 5, 2021, at age 88 after a prolonged illness.
Betty Jo was born to Thomas E Black and Alice Brownlow Black on April 15, 1933, in Chicopee, GA. She became a Registered Nurse in 1953 after graduating from Crawford Long Nursing School. She married James E Evans of Gainesville, GA the same year.
Betty Jo loved helping and serving others. During her 40-year nursing career, she was also involved in Girl Scouts, Football, Soccer booster clubs, community organizations, and community improvement activities. She was passionate about genealogy and loved discovering her past, but mostly loved helping others discover theirs. She was proud of her work as a “Search Angel” where she connected many adoptees to their birth parents. As a Military wife, she traveled to many places before finally settling in Lula, GA, and met many people who have remained friends until her passing.
Betty Jo lived in Florida for 22 years before moving to Lula, GA in 1996. In 2015 after the passing of her husband she relocated to Portland, OR to be near her children.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and sister Barbara Abernathy. She is survived by her daughter Elizabeth (Gernot) Nowak Portland, OR and sons Mark (Teresa) Evans Sacramento, CA; Joel (Linda) Evans Portland, OR; 9 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, brother Tom (Ginny)Black of Port Charlotte, FL, sister Elizabeth (Norris) Lowe of Sebring, FL, cousins, nieces, nephews, many friends in Georgia and at the Ackerly.
Private graveside services will be held Sunday, October 17, 2021, at the Alta Vista Cemetery, Gainesville.
Please share online condolences with the family at www.wardsfh.com. Ward’s Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Betty Jo Evans.
Ward’s Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Gainesville. “A Family Funeral Home”
