This obituary was originally published on Rogers & Breece Funeral Home.
Johnnie Evans, 85, was a farmer.
He was also a businessman, a public servant, a church elder, a fisherman, a husband, a father, and a grandfather. He built businesses, served his county, led organizations, and loved his family.
A seventh-generation farmer from Vander, North Carolina, Johnnie spent his life rooted in the same Cumberland County soil that generations of Evanses had worked before him.
His love of agriculture began as a boy through 4-H and Future Farmers of America and eventually took him to North Carolina State University to study agriculture. When his father died, Johnnie returned home to do what family had always done: he carried on.
Under Johnnie’s leadership, Evans Farms grew into one of the largest and most innovative farming operations in North Carolina. His work earned him the respect of farmers across the state, along with numerous honors, including being named Cumberland County Farmer of the Year three times and receiving the North Carolina Farmer of the Year award.
He believed in the place he came from, and he believed that if you cared about your community, you had a responsibility to serve it. He served as Chairman of the Cumberland County Fair and held leadership positions with Cape Fear Regional Theatre, the Cumberland County Board for Mental Health, the Fayetteville Arts Council, and the ABC Board. For twelve years, he represented his neighbors as a Cumberland County Commissioner, serving multiple terms as Chairman.
He was an entrepreneur, too, leading Evans Farms, Evans Hardware, and Highland Florist. Whether the business involved crops, hardware, or flowers, Johnnie understood people, hard work, and the value of a fellowship.
Johnnie was a devoted member of Sunnyside Presbyterian Church, where he served faithfully as both a Deacon and an Elder.
Mostly, Johnnie loved a party. And no one made better NC BBQ than him.
He loved piloting the boat at White Lake, travel, and reading westerns. He loved dogs—and there were plenty of them through the years. Later in life, happiness could be found closer to home: tending his raised-bed garden, watching the birds gather at the feeders, and Saturday night family dinners.
For 59 years, he shared his life with his wife, Flora Sue McDonald Evans. Together they built a family, a home, and a lifetime of stories.
He was enormously proud of his daughters, Suzanne and Amanda, and there was a special kind of joy reserved for his grandchildren. After a lifetime spent growing things, Johnnie knew a thing or two about a good crop—and Jonathan “Adrien” Evans VII, Docia Reis, and Flora Reis were, without question, his best one yet.
Watching his grandchildren play in the front yard brought him a happiness no award, title, election, or successful harvest ever could.
Johnnie is survived by his beloved wife, Flora Sue McDonald Evans; his daughters, Suzanne Evans and Amanda Evans; his son-in-law, Adam Reis; his daughter-in-law, Melonie Orr; and his grandchildren, Jonathan “Adrien” Evans VII, Docia Reis, and Flora Reis.
He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Ann Brown, and his nieces and nephews, Carolyn Brown Dennis, Clara Brown Monroe, Catherine Brown Floyd, Charlotte Brown Lewis, Elaine Fowler Sharp, and Van Fowler.
A Celebration of Johnnie’s Life
Family and friends are invited to gather on Sunday, July 26, at Sunnyside Presbyterian Church in Vander, North Carolina.
In true Johnnie fashion, there will be good food, good people, and plenty of stories.
A Pig Pickin’ and Viewing will be held from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., followed by a service celebrating Johnnie’s life in the sanctuary at 2:00 p.m.
Come hungry. Come ready to fellowship.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make donations to Cape Fear Regional Theatre Education Department or a contribution to Roy Cooper for US Senate. He would ask that we remind you to vote.