Shirley Evans

Funeral services for Shirley Evans, 60, Arapaho resident, will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Kiesau Memorial Chapel of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home in Clinton, officiated by Rev. Wendell Fulsom.

Shirley Darlene (Kness) Evans died early Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, at University Hospital in Oklahoma City, following a battle with cancer.

She was born Jan. 14, 1954, the daughter of Edward Lee Kness and Alma Faye (Neal) Kness.

Mrs. Evans started her younger years in Sentinel and in 1965 her father died and the family moved to Clinton. She attended and graduated from Clinton High School in 1971.  She was married to Jonathan “John” Evans on June 19, 1973 in McAlester. They made their home in Arapaho.

She was in the restaurant business most of her working career. She owned and operated Vic’s Café in Clinton, and she operated the Farmers and Ranchers eatery for several years as well as working for Del Rancho.

She was a faithful and active member of the Gospel Tabernacle Church in Arapaho and served as judge advocate for the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Verlin “Rojo” David Lee, Jr., two sisters, Evelyn Palmer and Jeanie DeSpain; and two nephews, Doug Weber and Steve Palmer.

Mrs. Evans is survived by her husband, John, of the home, two daughters, Christal Carpenter of Arapaho and ,Shay Renfro, Elk City; three sisters, Verna Waldron, and husband Gayle, of Oklahoma City, Mert Weber and husband Jim, of Arapaho and Dorthay Bebout, Arapaho; two brothers, Lloyd Kness and wife Cora Brenham, of Arapaho, and David Kness and wife Janet, of Minneapolis, Minn.; six grandchildren, Whitney, Christopher, Garrison, Halei, Lillie and Lillian; one great-grandchild, Caydence; numerous nieces and nephews and special friends Don and Donnie Carter, of Arapaho.  

Burial will be in the Arapaho Cemetery, under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home in Clinton.