Robert Read Evans

Robert Read Evans, devoted father of six and longtime Sandia National Laboratory employee, died on Saturday, March 7, 2020, after a short stay at an Albuquerque assisted living center. Robert, known as "Bob," by acquaintances, was 92. He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Henrietta, who passed away on October 10, 2019, the date of their 70th wedding anniversary. He was also preceded in death by his parents and sister Norma. He leaves a brother, Bruce, of Clearfield, PA, and sister, Peggy Keating, of PA. He is survived by his children, Karen Hartranft and Mary Kendall of Rio Rancho, Rose Hatcher, Robert Lynn Evans, and Pam Evans of Albuquerque, and Daniel, of Albany, NY; 12 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Born on Friday, October 7, 1927, in Clearfield, PA, Bob was the oldest of four children of Augusta and Millard Evans. He and his spouse-to-be met as children, but began dating in their teen years, when he was attending Clearfield High School, and she was enrolled at nearby St. Francis Catholic School. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was honorably discharged not long after it ended. Bob and Henrietta married in 1949 and on suggestion of a relative, moved to Albuquerque in 1951. An electrical engineer by trade, Bob began his career that year at Sandia, where he worked until his retirement in 1991. A transfer took him and his by-then growing young family to upstate New York for several years before they returned to Albuquerque in 1960.

Bob, who converted to Catholicism later in life, filled his spare time with volunteer work, including serving on the finance committee at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, working as a tutor for students at the OLA school, handling counting duties for the Sunday collections and often lending his technical skills to maintenance tasks like servicing the church's PA system. He also served as a volunteer at La Mesa Community Center and, after his retirement, was a docent at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque.

Bob was a skilled horseshoes player and, as a younger man, took home several city tournament championship trophies. In retirement, Bob and Henrietta greatly enjoyed traveling but his family was front and center. As his children set out on their own, he was always willing to extend a hand when needed, whether it was tackling a car repair, fixing a leak, solving an electrical problem, or lending some financial assistance. To their children, he was a beloved, doting grandpa and, in time, great grandpa.

A private family service will be held for Bob at a later date.