After nearly 81 years of being surrounded by love, laughter, friends, and family, Mary Louise (Joseph) Evans died on December 18, 2020.
Mary Lou was born on December 20, 1939, and raised in Mansfield, Ohio, by her loving parents, George and Gladys (Burkhart) Joseph. She and the love of her life for 62 years, Donald Matthew Evans, ended up in Galion, Ohio, to raise their six children.
Mary Lou was a Tyger of Mansfield Senior High School where she graduated in 1957. She went on to complete one year of nursing school before making the decision to be the best homemaker, mother, and wife that ever lived.
Shortly after her wedding vows, she took a vow to be a devout Catholic, the faith of her husband. The two of them stood strong in faith and raised all six children with values and ethics that unified the family and created a deep bond. They were proud members of St. Joseph’s Church and loved their church family.
Those who knew Mary Lou described her as kind, compassionate, friendly, and loving with a twinkle in her eye and a bright smile. Those who REALLY knew Mary Lou knew her fun-loving nature, her competitiveness, sass, stubbornness, and ability to make every person she would meet feel like immediate family.
She was close with each of her grandchildren and made every one of them feel special and loved. She supported every activity, sporting event, special occasion, and milestone and captured them in photos. She lived to support those she loved and documented every moment in pictures. The photos she has taken through the years are now cherished snapshots of her love.
When Mary Lou was not attending her grandchildren’s events, she loved to spend time at Lake Erie, and being surrounded by friends and family. She also enjoyed traveling and had visited every state but Alaska. She was also a member of a Euchre Club with dear friends for over 50 years and enjoyed those monthly showdowns and visits with club members.
She is preceded in death by her fourth child, Scott C. Evans, her father and mother. She is survived by her devoted husband, Donald M. Evans; six children, Cheryl (Stephen) Proctor, Michael (Molly), Keith (Kristie), Neil (Donna), Nikki (Buck) Workman; 16 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and many other friends that she called “family”. Mary Lou was an only child but had several “sisters of the heart” including Sandy Simms, Miriam Heydinger, Carol Wright, and Kathy Erlsten.
The family will gather for a private, graveside service in the near future and hope to have a GIANT celebration of Mary Lou’s life once it is safe to do so. The details of said celebration will be posted on the Facebook pages of her children and also on the funeral home website.
Richardson Davis Chapel of Snyder Funeral Homes in Galion is honored to serve the family of Mary Lou Evans, and condolences may be made to them at www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com.