Barbara Ann (Lewis) Evans, a native of the Evergreen State and one time resident of Vashon, passed away on December 19, 2024, at her home in Carson City, Nevada, after a full 92 years of life.
Barbara was born in Seattle on May 18, 1932, to Hiram “Hi” and Gertrude “May” (Barnes) Lewis and, after residing in Auburn and West Seattle, began her life as an islander in 1945 when she was twelve. Barbara’s Vashon life started in a little house across the street from the old Vashon High School, then off to a small farm in Paradise Valley. Her last childhood home with her siblings Gary and Marti was Hi’s Market Center, a small grocery store her parents opened in Burton. The family lived in several apartments behind the store where Barb worked the register and made local deliveries.
Graduating from Vashon High School in 1950, her grocery career didn’t last too long. Barb caught the eye of a house painter working down the street who paid a boy a dime to ask Barb her name. Norm Evans introduced himself over the ruse of a purchase. The courtship was quick and they were married on May 13, 1951, at Burton Church. Barb’s best friend Vivian Plancich was her maid of honor.
The newlyweds initially resided at beach houses in Tahlequah and Shawnee Beach, each residence providing a life-long friendship with the Lindskog and Kellogg families. Barb and Norm moved to Gillette, Wyoming, around 1953 to live and work on his father’s cattle and sheep ranch. Barb enjoyed her life as a young rancher’s wife, however in 1955 she became pregnant, so back to Vashon Island Norm and Barb returned.
They rented a small house on Bank Road, and in 1956 a daughter was born whom they named Claudia, after Barb’s older sister who had died when Barb was young. Norm became employed at Boeing, working at the Kent office in the Art Department. In 1960 they built a new house on SW 188th Street on 20 acres of farmland just west of Beall Greenhouses. In 1964, a new member arrived in the family, a boy whom they named Edward after Norm’s father.
This time for Barb and Norm was rich with family gatherings and events at the Lewis and Barnes residences, Barb’s cousin Muriel and Harvey Williams and with the other families on their street.
Barb and the family were part of a different island generation, a Vashon of Kimmel’s Grocery, Robinson’s Furniture, Don Kellogg’s Barbershop, Kirschner’s Manufacturing (before it became K2), the McCormick brothers and Vashon Hardware. The Island Theater was a social center and going to the Dairy Queen meant you stood outside to order. Friday nights out were held at the Alibi Restaurant. The family could not forget to mention the hours spent in the old Oddfellows Hall in Center where Barb’s parents were lodge members.
The family moved in 1971 to a ranch near Carson City, Nevada to pursue the raising and showing of purebred Arabian horses, a process they began while on Vashon. Barb’s parents decided to retire to Carson City as well. The family showed their horses up and down the West Coast for decades and Barb’s life was full as a rancher’s wife, bringing many friendships, barn dances, huge gardens, bowling leagues, children’s marriages and grandchildren. Barb became a ceramic teacher for Duncan and Mayco paints, an evolution of a hobby she started on Vashon. She eventually expanded out of her basement shop to teach at the women’s Maximum-Security Prison in Carson City. She did this for five years and it was something of which she was proud.
Always a daughter of the Pacific Northwest, Barb made annual trips to Vashon for family gatherings even after her husband Norm passed away in 2004. Barb continued to enjoy the ranch life started with her husband, one now mixed with Bunko nights and listening to friends at Karaoke. She made her last visit to Vashon for her 60th high school reunion. In 2023, her children and several grandchildren returned to Vashon, and at Barb’s request, a clam shell with barnacles from KVI beach was brought back for her. It proudly sat on her kitchen table with other island memories.
Barbara Ann Evans was a woman of tremendous heart, and good thing it was so, for her Vashon held a large piece of it.
Barbara is survived by her brother Gary (Sharon) Lewis of Lacy, Washington; sister Marti (David) Zohner of St. George, Utah, daughter Claudia (Gary) Quarisa, son Ed Evans, grandchildren Katie Quarisa, Anna Quarisa, Shelby Evans, Haley Evans, and great-grandchildren: Penelope, Gabriella, Amelia, Clyde, and various nieces and nephews.
May 18, 1932 – December 19, 2024