Samuel Will Evans' Obituary
Samuel Evans Obituary
Samuel Will Evans affectionately called (Sammy or Sam) was born on February 15, 1927 of the lineage of Ida Bell and Sullivan Evans in Sandhill, MS. At an early age he had to take on a large amount of responsibility as a sharecropper. As a young man, he worked the fields with his family and learned how to fish and at some point he developed carpentry skills and masonry skills. He was very calm about the things around him and learned how to stay focused in spite of any and all negative situations. Mississippi couldn’t hold him or his vision for his life, so he left home and spent time traveling to discover how to get to his desired destination.
In 1944, at the age of seventeen he traveled to California and was at awe of the beauty of California only to stay for a short while; California was just not the place for him, and he found his way in Mexico. While in Mexico, he learned how to drive and whatever monies he earned he saved it to help with accomplishing his vision. He later left Mexico, and then traveled to several other places but was not happy so he left but he didn’t leave without his bag of loot; money that is, he was a true believer of savings. Sammy returned to Mississippi, with hopes of winning over the young lady who never paid him any attention and with his new pocket watch in hand and a new look he went back home to Mississippi.
Sammy and Jennie were united in Holy matrimony on August 7, 1948. This union bore nine children. after hearing about the possibilities there, he packed up his family and they began a life in the town of Robbins, IL. He provided for his family by working at the Ford Motor Company. This income allowed him to further his dreams of building his family a home, and cultivate an empty acre of land across the street from their home for gardening that he and his wife Jennie spear headed for the neighbors who also came from MS.
Gardening was a very important part of the lives of the Evans household. This garden brought so much pleasure to Sammy and his wife for it allowed them to feed their entire family and friends. Not only did they have the garden across the street but in their back yard they grew, apples, grapes, peaches, pears, and black berries. On the weekends he went fishing. All this time he was still saving his money from working, he wanted to be able to help others. When he retired from Ford he spent more time with his family and went fishing as often as he could. His patience, calming demeanor and wiliness to help others brought many people to his door step.
Sammy, was responsible for assisting some of everyone near and far. If you needed food for your family, you came to Homan street, if you needed some money for your rent, you came to Homan, if you needed to pay a bill or two, you came to see Mr. Evans; whatever the need was, you knew you could get some help from him. He has assisted many individuals with purchasing cars, homes and if it was not for him many people would have been evicted from their living places.
After much prayer and constant invites, he began attending church in 1994, at Am I My Brothers Keeper Outreach Church in Chicago, where Bishop William and Rose McCoy were pastors. Although, he had stopped attending his name remains on the membership roll at the church and he would often send his pastor his tithes and offering.
On July 3, 2019 at 5:23pm he made his transition in the home that he had built and labored so hard to have in Robbins, Illinois. The land that brought him so much pride and joy in his earlier years. Samuel Will Evans Sr. was preceded in death by his wife, three children, three sons-in law, his parents, and five siblings.
He leaves to cherish his memories his children; Janell Byrd, Rose Marie McCoy (William), Gwenda Hills, Patricia Akwabaoha, Ernestine Evans, Samuel Evans Jr., his siblings: Willie Gipson, Jackson Mississippi; James Gipson, Jackson Mississippi; Sadie Thompson, Harvey Illinois; Francine Dale-Rancho, Cucamonga California. A host of grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, an abundance of relatives and friends
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Samuel Will Evans, please visit our floral store.
Read More
What’s your fondest memory of Samuel?
What’s a lesson you learned from Samuel?
Share a story where Samuel's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Samuel you’ll never forget.
How did Samuel make you smile?