Harl Burnell Evans

*Born September 6,1922 at home in Osage Junction, Oklahoma which he refers to as the “Osage” to Joseph “Bailey” Evans and Constance (Preston) Evans.

*Grade school: Struggleville; High school: Excelsior. As a HS junior was state tennis champ.

*Post HS education: car mechanic school, then airplane mechanic school

*Volunteered in the Army/Airforce 1942-1945: trained as a crew engineer and tail gunner in B-24 “Liberator” bombers; stationed in England. His plane was shot down over occupied France and he had to parachute out. He was rescued by the French underground, was hidden in a small barn attic, then was smuggled back across the English Channel.

*After the war, he married Maxine Bolding on May 26,1946, which he regards as one of the best decisions he ever made.

*He then attended Oklahoma A&M (now OSU) on the GI bill, graduating in 3 yrs with a degree in Agricultural Ed. He continues to be a loyal OSU fan and armchair coach.

*He began his career in Agricultural Education (FFA) in Perry, OK from 1949-1954.

*From 1953-1954, he was involved in a partnership selling Studebaker vehicles and Ferguson tractors.

*During these years, he and Maxine had sons Brent Wayne Evans(born 2/26/48) and Craig Randall Evans(born 1/4/52).

*The family moved to Billings, OK in 1954 and HB became the Vo-Ag teacher as well as leader of the local FFA .

*Their daughter Ginger Diane Evans born 9/8/54.

*They moved to Haven, KS in 1959 where HB became a farm representative for banks in Haven, Sylvia, and South Hutchinson. That job occurred because he had organized a Billings Sheep Growers Association that caught the eye of a regional newspaper. The rural Kansas bankers were impressed that HB was creative and hard working to help farmers and ranchers so they hired this OSU grad over several Kansas State grads at the time!

*In 1965, HB had the opportunity to buy the First State Bank in Billings. THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS EXCITED TO BE BACK IN BILLINGS, OK!

*He was the Banker from 1965-1986, and an independent insurance agent from 1965-1992.

During his years as a banker, HB was committed to the success of the farmers/ranchers, local businesses, and entrepreneurs. If he could work a way to use the capital and influence of his bank to help people, then he did whatever he ethically could to help Billings and surrounding communities.

*In retirement, he has been a successful farmer and cattle rancher, only giving this up when he had a pacemaker put in and his kids demanded he “give up his girls”(the cows).

He is amazingly talented at many hobbies… a car mechanic, paint and body restorer, woodworking, and anything else he puts his mind and hands to doing.

*However, he loves the community of Billings,Ok! When he was finishing up school at Oklahoma A & M, he told his wife Maxine that he wanted to live and work in the Noble, Kay and Garfield county areas because they were the “best in Oklahoma”.!

*Examples of his community service:

In 1957, there was a flood of epic proportions. Some farmers along the creeks were at risk of being washed away. Dad and Gene Carter and others put their welfare at risk to be out in Gene’s outboard motorboat, rescuing several families from possible drowning.

*In the 1970s there was a risk the town would lose the local grain elevator and feed mill, which would have had devastating effect on the many thriving local businesses. Dad and other business people worked to get a coalition of money and start a public trust to save them. Farmers had to be convinced to not sue for money owed them and give the public trust time to make a profit in order to repay the farmers. None of them lost their money and most made a profit. During this time, the expertise and contacts of Henry Bellmon were monumental in convincing a bankruptcy judge to hold off from taking the elevator in foreclosure.

*Both HB Evans and Maxine were involved in helping get the Oklahoma Blood Institute started in Oklahoma with the assistance of Dr. Leland Steffen and Dr. Ron Gilcher. This is a service to the entire state of Oklahoma!

*Forever, HB has supported Billings and the farming/ranching way of life. His kids say that growing up in the home and being around HB and Maxine Evans, it was clear they loved the people and community of Billings. Even though many of the businesses in Billings are gone, Maxine is gone and the kids are gone, HB’s love of the people in the Billings community and the quality of life has kept him here as a dedicated citizen.

*His kids would like to add that, above all, he has been a faithful husband, dad, granddad and even now, great granddad. He is a man who professes Christ as savior and tries to live his daily life “doing unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

*All of his family who have grown up with him in their lives love, respect and admire him. We pray we can one day be considered the kind of man or woman who bears the image of HB Evans.

*He was preceded in death by his Wife Maxine of the home and by his grandson Chris Henson.

*He is survived by his 3 children Brent Evans, Craig Evans and Ginger Henson and their spouses. He has 7 grandkids who are dearly loved and 17 great grand kids who think they are very special in their “moo pop’s” eyes.