Sinking Creek-William McKinley Evans, 97, passed away Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, at the Greenbrier Valley Medical Center.
William was born Oct. 13, 1916, at Grapevine, WV, to the late David Davis and Elizabeth Kennedy Evans.
Mr. Evans was an accomplished musician having played in a backup band in the late ‘40s and into the ‘50s for artists such as Patsy Cline, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs amongst others. He was a member of the International Moose Lodge and of the American Heritage Music Hall in Ronceverte. He was a coal miner, carpenter, electrician, mechanic, business man and a farmer.
Other than his parents, William was preceded in death by: his wife, Inez Rowe Evans; grandson, Lee Evans in 2013; great-grandson, C.J. Hinkle; sister, Irish Ann; and brother, John Pershing Evans
Survivors include: daughters, Patsy Elizabeth Evans of Fairlea, Valarie Ann Conner of Lewisburg and Bonnie Grace Thomas of Sinking Creek; brothers, Carr William “Bill” Evans and James Pershing Evans and wife Hazel of Sinking Creek; favorite nephew, Danny Rowe of Sinking Creek; grandchildren, Clark Evans, Lisa Evans, Cherry Creswell, Melodie Hale, Bonnie Tincher, Theresa Reynolds, Carr Evans, Jimmy King, Donald McDaniel, Amy Conner, Jeremy Conner, Brian Thomas, Mark Thomas and Jason Thomas; 19 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.
Services were held Monday, Jan. 20 at the Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home in Lewisburg where Pastor Jim Johnson officiated.
Burial was in the Wallace Memorial Cemetery in Clintonville.