Judith K. Evans, age 95, formerly of Lima, passed away July 27, 2022, at St. Rita’s Hospital in Lima after a brief illness at the end of a long life. An incorrigible planner and list-maker, she nonetheless frequently declared that she was “having a wonderful time,” and it was generally true. She never dyed her still-brownish hair.
Judy was born July 1, 1927, in Marysville, Ohio, to Gerald Lemoyne Kingsmore and Mary Rosina Kingsmore, who both preceded her in death, as did her brother Jerry II and her sister Anne. In 1949, she received a degree in biology from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio. While at Heidelberg, she met her first husband, Dr. William Grannis, who also preceded her in death. She worked as a medical technologist in the laboratory at St. Rita’s until their first child was born in 1952, and then again from 1972 to 1987. In 1976, she married Richard B. Evans, who after forty years of mutual devotion also preceded her in death. (Let’s face it: Almost everyone Judy knew preceded her in death.)
Judy is survived by her three sons—John (Linda) Grannis of Twin Falls, Idaho; Steven (Nancy) Grannis of Sparks, Nevada; and Mark (Sarah) Grannis of Chevy Chase, Maryland; three step-daughters—Helen Imbrock of Hillsborough, North Carolina; April (Glen) Spurlock of Liberty Center, Ohio; and Carol (Todd) Slight of Napoleon, Ohio; as well as 10 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
Judy still actively worshiped at Bluffton Presbyterian Church, and before that at Market Street Presbyterian Church in Lima, where she also served as a deacon and elder. A talented soprano, she sang in church, school, and community choirs for ten straight decades—from the 1930s to the 2020s. Her renditions of “O Holy Night” each Christmas Eve for many years will long be remembered by those who heard her. She also provided musical entertainment for many years at luncheons and other small private gatherings. She played golf well into her 80s and belonged to the Shawnee Country Club, where she also played tennis and timed at more swim meets than anyone could count. She was also a member of the Arbutus Club, the Junior Service League, and the Lima Civic Chorus. As the world became more digital, Judy enthusiastically kept up, learning MS-DOS in the 1980s, Windows in the 1990s, the iPod and iPhone in the 2000s, the Macbook in the 2010s, and Zoom for a weekly family hour of “Cocktails with Grandma” in the 2020s.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, August 5, at 11:00 a.m. at Bluffton Presbyterian Church, with Rev. Karol F. Schilling officiating. Friends may call on the family from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. that morning at Bluffton Presbyterian. In a private ceremony the following day, Judy will be buried next to her husband in the Evans family plot in Hillsboro, Ohio.
Those desiring to make a memorial contribution might wish to know of Judy’s enthusiastic support of the Bluffton Presbyterian Church and the Equestrian Therapy Program in Cridersville. Condolences may be expressed at www.chiles-lamanfh.com. Arrangements have been entrusted with Chiles-Laman Funeral & Cremation Services, Bluffton.
