(June 7, 1923 – August 7, 2014)
Col William L. Evans, USAF, Ret., age 91, kicked the bucket on August 7th, 2014 in Ogden, Utah. He was born with the love of flying and aviation in general. In 1939, at age 16, he took his first flying lesson in the J-3 cub.
His family moved to San Francisco, California during his senior year of high school. He completed his senior year at Commerce High School and then returned to Malad to graduate with his class in 1942. He entered the Army Air Force as an aviation cadet and later graduated as a lieutenant. He entered the service November 13, 1942. He flew the Boeing B-17, and the B-25 bombers until the end of the war.
On August 1, 1945 he married Gladys Thorpe from Pleasantview, Idaho. He spent 54 years and 8 months with that beautiful lady in a perfect marriage until her death on April 12th, 2000. Her loss was one he never recovered from.
He was an instructor at Randolph Air Base, San Antonio, Texas, at the end of the war then assigned to Jq, in Panama as a staff pilot and operations officer. He left the Air Force in 1947 to enter college in San Francisco, California. After he completed his premedical training in November of 1948, he was recalled to active duty with the Strategic Air Command, SAV, as a B-29 aircraft commander. In 1950 he flew a combat tour in Korea. He entered the jet age in 1953 and remained with SAC until June 1963. Subsequent assignments ranged from a squadron commander to a position on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During his career he flew some 45 different military and civilian aircraft ranging from the open cockpit types to multi engine jets. He accumulated 15,000 hours of flying time. He retired April 1974 and settled in Pleasant View, Utah.
He is survived by three daughters Jo Ann (John) Hill, Judy (Glen) Bergstrom and Deborah (Elden) Sevy and one son Darin Evans (Kevin Corkish). One brother Dave (Beverly) Evans, 13 grand children and 33 great grandchildren.
He always stated that he got the maximum out of life and to quote his last statement. “I have no regrets and had a great time, but once around was enough; I wouldn’t want to do it again.”
He held the aeronautical ratings of command pilot, navigator, and bombardier and radar operator.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, August 12 at 12 noon in the Horsley Funeral Home, 132 W 300 N in Malad. Friends may visit with the family on Tuesday morning from 10:30-11:45 a.m. at the funeral home prior to the service. Burial will follow in the Malad City Cemetery with military rites being performed. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.horsleyfuneralhome.com