Robert “Leroy” Evans, age 87, passed away on May 24, 2024, at his home in Kearney, Nebraska.
Leroy was born Aug. 6, 1936, in Hyannis, Nebraska, to Emmerson and Dorothy Evans.
He attended school at District #4 through 8th grade. He attended 2 years of high school in Whitman and then went to UNSA at Curtis, Nebraska, where he graduated in 1953. He attended Chadron State College where he graduated with a 2-year business ag. degree. After college he returned to help his father run the family ranch north of Whitman.
On May 29, 1957, he married Delores Mae Geist of Whitman. To this union five children were born: Jerry Lee, Timothy Wayne, Teddi Jo, Joy Ann and Robert Allen.
Leroy enjoyed running and working on the ranch with his kids and grandkids. Besides cattle work, he contracted haying over the years, which gave him the opportunity to hire and work with a lot of young people from all over the United States.
Leroy was proud to serve as Grant County Commissioner from 1972 to 1992 as well as serving on state and national committees. He also served on the District #4 school board, the Whitman Church and Cemetery board for several years. He enjoyed being part of the Masons, Eagles and Eastern Stars.
Upon retiring, the ranch was sold to his granddaughter, Chawnee Grant, keeping it in the family, something Leroy always wanted. He loved watching his grandkids and great-grandkids in all their school and sporting activities. He enjoyed traveling with his wife, sister, and daughter before moving to Kearney where he enjoyed playing pitch and cribbage every day.
He is survived by his wife Delores, their sons Jerry (Lonny) of Ainsworth, Timothy (Charlotte) of North Platte, Robert (Rhonda) of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and daughters Teddi of Kearney and Joy of Omaha. He is also survived by his sister Janet Wittrup of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and sister-in-law Alda Evans of Overland Park, Kansas, 15 grandkids, 31 greatgrandkids, several step grandkids and great-grandkids and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents Emmerson and Dorothy Evans, sister and brother-in-law Deloris and Don Anderson, brother Lloyd Evans, brother-in-law Don Wittrup, mother-in-law Alta McIntosh and step-grandson Luke Reimers.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Hyannis High School Auditorium. Burial will be at a later date in the Whitman Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Whitman Community Hall, Whitman Church or the Whitman Cemetery.
A visitation will be held on Friday, May 31 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Mullen Funeral Home in Mullen, Nebraska.
Govier Brothers Mortuary/ Mullen Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.govierbrothers.com.