Norma Ruth Evans' Obituary
Norma Ruth (Briscoe) Evans, age 89, passed away peacefully on August 28, 2022 at the Waterford of Plano in Plano, Texas.
Ruth, as she was known, was born May 16, 1933 in Grenada, Mississippi to Lillian Smith Briscoe and Corrie Wynne (C.W.) Briscoe.
She attended Mississippi State College for Women and later Draughon’s Business School. In 1957 Ruth married Jack T. Evans, and by 1960 they had moved from their home in Memphis to start a new life in North Texas. Ruth worked as a secretary at the University of Plano and later at the Texas A&M Extension Center in Richardson until her retirement. Ruth was a life-long Christian, and she attended First Baptist Church and later Reclamation Church, both in Plano, Texas.
Ruth loved natural beauty, especially bright flowers, birds, and butterflies. Throughout her life she enjoyed crocheting, coloring books, and cheering her Dallas Cowboys. She also was a voracious reader, and she served as the Waterford Librarian for several years. As a result of growing up in the Great Depression, Ruth never threw stuff away, including a frozen turkey that lasted more than 20 years in her freezer.
More importantly, she loved to help people, especially the newcomers at her senior living community. She also refused to sit idly by when her friends or caregivers were being bullied, and she was an outspoken advocate for those targeted by racism.
Ruth is survived by daughters Helen Evans Powell and Malinda Evans Hicks; son-in-law David Hicks; grandchildren Peter Bellino and Nancy Bellino; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and sister. Special thanks to the Waterford staff, who treated her with great care and respect, and whom she loved very much.
The family will receive visitors at Restland Funeral Home on Thursday, September 1, from 6:00-8:00pm, with a private graveside service scheduled for the following day. A Celebration of Life will be held on September 10 for her friends, neighbors, and caregivers at the Waterford of Plano.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Meals on Wheels of Collin County or the charity of one’s choice.
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