Bobby Earl Evans' Obituary
Bobby "Bob" Earl Evans, age 94, of Garland Texas passed away peacefully with his family by his side, on the morning of March 9, 2026. Bob was born on October 26, 1931 in McKinney Texas to parents Earl Vance Evans and Ruth Lee (McCown) Evans.
Bob spent much of his early years growing up on the family farm near McKinney. After finishing his schooling, he took a job at the Cotton Mill in McKinney, where his father was employed as a machinist. Bob would later take up employment at Varo Manufacturing in Garland, where he met his wife Bertha Sperling; they were married on August 15, 1953 in Garland Texas.
In 1953, Bob was called to serve in the United States Army, where he was stationed at Fort Bliss and White Sands Missile Range, assigned to duty with the 1st Guided Missile Brigade. While in the Army, he took up amateur radio as a way to keep in contact with his family and friends back home; a hobby which he would continue to enjoy over the following decades under his radio call-sign W5QAN.
After leaving the Army in 1955, Bob and his wife Bertha made their home in Garland, where they would raise 3 children together: Michael, James, and Elizabeth.
Bob took up a career as radio mechanic for Braniff Airways, and would soon after earn his pilot's license. Together with his career at Braniff as a mechanic, he also took up work as a pilot for a number of air freight companies such as Falcon Airways and Tricon International; hauling cargo locally, cross-country, and overseas. He was also a Certified Flight Instrument Instructor. After leaving Braniff, he worked for Southwest Airlines as a mechanic until his retirement in 1993. Bob always enjoyed taking his family and friends flying with him, inspiring an enthusiasm for aviation in his sons Michael and James.
Bob always enjoyed receiving visitors at his home, and his door was always open to family, friends, and neighbors. He hosted numerous holiday celebrations and weekly family dinners over the years. He always loved to share a meal with company and tell stories about the old days, and spend time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Bob will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Bob was preceded in death by his wife Bertha, his parents Earl and Ruth Evans, son Michael Evans, brothers Jack Evans and Carroll Evans, and great-grandson Theodore Bob Evans.
He is survived by his son James Evans and wife Mary, daughter Elizabeth Evans, grandchildren Melanie Kruse and husband Matthew, Mark Evans, Sarah Butler and husband Jacob, and Michael Evans and wife Therese, and great-grandchildren Ethan, Abigail, Emily, Nicholas, and Henry, along with several friends and neighbors.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Wylie at 1:00 PM on March 19, 2026, with committal service following at 3:00 PM at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Rowlett.
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