Elizabeth Evans

Elizabeth Jean (Kramer) Evans, age 91, died peacefully in her sleep on August 3, 2018, at her home in Allen, Texas. She was born on July 26, 1927, in Wilson Borough, Pennsylvania, to Walter and Grace (Gardner) Kramer. The family relocated to Easton, where she was raised by her mother, and graduated from Easton High School in 1945. Betty worked as a Mother’s Helper as a young teen, and learned many skills which helped her as a homemaker throughout her life. She was hired as a telephone operator for Bell Telephone when she graduated from high school. In 1946, Betty married John M. Jones, Jr., and by 1956 they had four sons: Robert, John III, Kevin and Gregory. Her husband had a congenital heart problem and died in late 1956, followed by her son Kevin, who died from Leukemia in early 1957. After Johnny died, George Evans, Johnny’s cousin, helped Betty by driving her to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to visit Kevin. They had many interesting conversations about The World Tomorrow broadcast, and church literature they were both reading. Their relationship became serious and they married in August 1957. They moved to Clark’s Summit, Pennsylvania and added three children in rapid succession to their growing family: Nancy, Valerie and David. George adopted Bob, John and Gregory. Betty loved being a homemaker, and made sure her children, boys and girls, learned homemaking skills from an early age. She made sure everyone ate healthily, and made most things from scratch. As time progressed, she even ground her own wheat to make homemade whole wheat bread. She took great joy in moving to different areas of the country, including Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas, and Delaware, before returning to Clark’s Summit in 1974. George and Betty traveled all over the country with their family and saw most of the United States of America, missing only a few states. Travelling internationally was a passion of hers, and she and George visited many countries, including Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, England, Scotland, Wales, Jordan, Israel, Greece, Japan, China and Thailand. Betty treasured her family and friends, and was delighted when she was able to spend time with her grandchildren. She loved to read, often to learn, and to dance and sing. She sang solos, duets with her sister Lorraine and others, in small groups – including with four of her children, and in choirs. Betty was always known as a very caring, loving and service-oriented lady. Her hospitality was known far and wide, from hosting dinners to temporarily housing people as needs arose. She coordinated church activities, service projects, helped with Feast site landscaping and building upkeep, and was part of a food co-op in the Clark’s Summit area. Betty and her husband moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he retired, and then to Allen, Texas. Their church was a huge part of their lives. Betty was preceded in death by her sisters, Virginia and Lorraine (Alan) Kunkel, her first husband, John M. Jones, Jr., her sons Kevin and Gregory, and her husband, George. She is survived by her children, Robert, John, Nancy (Ed) Budda, Valerie (Dennis) Gelbaum, and David (Marguerite), her beloved grandchildren, Clark, Kheri, Bobby, Kevin, Brandi, Bobbi, Brandon, Brittani and Briana, fifteen great-grandchildren, her sisters, Nancy Kramer and Helena (Bob) Briglia, and many nieces and nephews. Following cremation, her remains will be buried in the family plot in Northampton Memorial Shrine in Easton, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to COGWA at www.cogwa.org/donate.