Obituary

Joel Evans

August 29, 1940 ~ April 12, 2021 (age 80)

Joel Evans, 80, of East Jordan, went to be with his Lord on Monday, April 12, 2021, in Traverse City.

  He was born on August 29, 1940, in East Jordan, the son of Wayne and Thelma (Somerville) Evans.  He graduated from East Jordan High School in 1958.   On July 12, 1969, in East Jordan, Joel married Mary Jane LaCroix.

  Joel lived in East Jordan his entire life.  He worked at the local lumber yard in East Jordan for 43 years.  For 18 of those 43 years, Joel was the owner of Evans Building and Home Center in East Jordan.  He retired in 2001.

  Joel had a servant’s heart!  In his younger years, he coached for the East Jordan Little League.  Over the years, he had been active in local conservancy.  He had been instrumental in the installation of elevated platforms for osprey and eagles, moving a building structure to the edge of the Jordan River that now houses the “Friends of the Jordan” and building boardwalks and trails in local reserves.  Joel enjoyed hunting and photography.  He was a proud member of the National Rifle Association.

  He had served as the South Arm Township Supervisor for 10 years, as a school board member of the East Jordan Public Schools from 1990-1991 and as a Charlevoix County Commissioner from 2007 to 2018.

  He was a member of the East Jordan Community Church.

  Joel is survived by his wife of 51 years, Mary Jane Evans of East Jordan; five  children, Andrea (Matt) Myaard of Holland, Josh (Jenna) Evans of Byron Center, Erika Evans of East Jordan, Vickie Goalen of Hudsonville and Julie (Steve) Matthews of Petoskey; ten grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and three  siblings, Elwin Evans of Haslett, Mae (Jim) Bowman of Corvallis, Oregon and Keith (Gail) Evans of Traverse City.  He was preceded in death by one granddaughter, Thea; two grandsons, Samuel and Ben; one brother, Neil Evans; a son-in-law, George Goalen.

  Funeral services will be held on Monday, April 19, 2021, at 12:00 Noon at the Walloon Lake Community Church, 4320 M-75 N, Walloon Lake, MI 49796.   The family will receive friends on Monday from 10:00 am until 11:30 am at church.   In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Evans family, 10448 Lord Road, East Jordan, MI  49727.  The family was served by the Penzien Funeral Homes, Inc., East Jordan.