Burl Edward Evans

Burl Edward Evans, 91, of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas died February 14, 2014. He was born at the farm house of his parents, Marion and Ruby Evans (Moore) in Popejoy, Iowa. He met Valerie Delores Whitecavage of Frackville, Pennsylvania, at a dance in Key West, Florida where they were both stationed and later married in 1945. Burl's dream to fly started at age eight when a 1924 Beechcraft landed in a field on the family farm in Iowa. And fly he did. He served 20 years in the Navy, including being stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from 1952 to 1955, and later serving as the commanding officer of a squadron. Evans also retired from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at Will Rogers World Airport, after serving as a test pilot and instructor. He flew more than 35 different aircraft during his two careers and flew around the world more than once. In 2008, he was filmed and recorded for the Veterans History Project which is maintained by the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress. Evans served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He is survived by his daughter, five grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren, including, Peggy Lee Evans of Richardson, Texas; granddaughter, Nataly Huddleston of Prosper, Texas and her sons, Lowell, Talon, Noah, and Wyatt; granddaughter Amber Dye of Richardson, Texas; granddaughter Valerie Evans of Chicago, Illinois; grandson Brian Evans of Carmel, Indiana, his wife Erin Evans and their children, Emerson, Lauren, London, and Joseph; granddaughter Tara Pittman of Seffner, Florida, her husband Brian Pittman and their children, Avery and Cole; two brothers, Glen Evans of Alden, Iowa and Myron Evans of Iowa Falls, Iowa; sister-in-law Louise Evans of West Chicago, Illinois; and special friend Wilma Henricks of Hot Springs Village, Arkansas. He was preceded in death by his parents, Marion and Ruby Evans; his beloved wife of 56 years, Valerie Whitecavage Evans; his loving son, Keith Brian Evans; two brothers, Merle in infancy, Robert Evans; two sisters, Mabel Gregg and Marjorie Anders Echelberger. He was a member of the Village United Methodist Church and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Hot Springs Village where he had resided since 1973. A Funeral Service will be held at Village United Methodist Church at 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 23, 2014. Commander Evans' final flight will be to Washington, D.C., where he will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to CedarVale Funeral Home. Online condolences may be shared at www.cedarvalefuneralhome.com.