In Memory of Mary (Stephens) Evans: January 20, 1922 - June 24, 2017

It is with great sorrow and a heavy heart that we pass along word that CTA member Mary Evans passed away on Saturday, June 24, 2017. The services for Mary Evans will be at Rose Hills Memorial Park & Mortuary in Whittier, CA. Wednesday July 5 is the viewing and Thursday July 6 is the service. For more information, click here.    Mary Elizabeth Stephens Evans was born the last of eight children to Herbert M. Stephens and Nannie Cantrell Stephens on January 20, 1922 in Gainesville, Texas.

Mary moved to California (Paradise, as she called it!) in 1935 at the tender age of 13 with her older sister Dorothy and her husband, Dean. They settled in Maywood and at 16 she was baptized at Maywood Assembly of God church. This is also where she became friends with a young girl, Leo Evans. Soon afterwards, she noticed that Leo had a twin brother, Cleo who liked to drive fast cars and the rest is history!

 

Cleo and Mary were married on August 23, 1941 in Maywood and the next year Cleo was drafted into the US Army and was soon sent overseas. He was honorably discharged in December 1945 and returned home to help run the family trucking business.

Daughter Janet was born in 1947 and Judy followed in 1950. Mary was a stay-at-home mom who was always there for her girls when they came home from school. Later she reveled in her role as adored grandmother when Jeff came along in 1966, followed by Michelle, Will, Shereen and then Eric-Stig. Then there was the joy of great-grandmother-hood when Jacque was born, followed by Jake, Mikah, Ellie, Trevor, the twin boys Nathaniel and Nicholas and Natasha. Just 3 months ago she became a great-great-grandmother when Jane Elizabeth was born to Jake and Hannah.

 

Mary was active in her church and in later life joined Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Los Alamitos. Over the years at various churches she sang in the choir, was a wedding coordinator and organized multiple social events.

Mary was known for her famous pies and cookies! Every holiday found her baking multiple strawberry parfait, chocolate, coconut cream and banana cream pies along with a multitude of cookies. Many of you were the recipient of these delicious gifts!

She loved working in her garden. No matter where they lived, she and Cleo always had a large rose garden. Mary would spend hours pruning, fertilizing and caring for those roses and there was almost always a fragrant bouquet to grace their home.

Mary and Cleo were generous donors to their church as well as four Ronald McDonald Houses in Southern California.

She was also very active in California Trucking Association and thoroughly enjoyed all the annual conventions at the Del in San Diego as well as the special friendships along the way. She was always a gracious and friendly neighbor with long lasting relationships wherever she lived.

She is pre-deceased and always grieved the loss of her grandson, Eric-Stig Engblom and her great-granddaughter Jacque Endresen and especially the loss of Cleo in 2015.

Each time you see a beautiful rose, when you are enjoying a homemade cookie or pie, or see a impeccably dressed, elegant woman, think of Mary. "Remember Me: I will still be here as long as you hold my in your memory."