1951
John
2014
John "Abe" Evans
February 12, 1951 — June 14, 2014
John "Abe" H V Evans III
Passed away June 14, 2014. Abe was born to John Hugh Virgil Evans, Jr. and the former Janet Bonnewitz in Yakima, Washington on February 12, 1951, sharing his birthday and his lifelong nickname with Abraham Lincoln. Abe graduated from Maumee High School in 1969 and received a degree in history and political science in 1973 from Wittenberg University, where he was also actively involved in the music department and Wittenberg's renowned touring choir It was also during this time Abe began his career as a photographer doing architectural photography for his father's firm. All of these pursuits, as well as restaurant management, auto mechanics and teaching, remained Abe's lifelong interests and led to a variety of careers and two happy marriages.
Abe met photographer Suzanne Alldredge when he was working as a bill collector and meter reader for the Gwinnett County (Georgia) Water Department and heard her listening to the Karl Haas radio program "Adventures in Good Music". In 1985 he joined Suzanne not only in marriage, but in her photography business in Atlanta, Georgia, and as a caring stepfather to her daughter Alicia "Lisa" Williamson. Abe also taught in Brandon Hall, a private school in Atlanta, and sang bass in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under the direction of the legendary Robert Shaw; he can be heard on 16 ASO recordings that garnered 14 Grammy awards. Abe often proudly said "I was on a first name basis with Mr. Shaw. He called me Abe, and I called him Mr. Shaw". He was especially thrilled to represent the values of the United States on an ASO tour to East Germany shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall as a member of the first American musical ensemble to perform behind the Iron Curtain.
Looking for a less hectic life and in keeping with his sense of humor, Abe and Suzanne moved AppleTree Photographers to Atlanta, Indiana. Abe became involved in local politics, winning election twice to the Atlanta Town Council and representing Atlanta in other capacities, including the Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Transit Authority. He played a major role in the establishment of DeLullo's Trattoria in Atlanta, served as a well-known and respected substitute teacher in the Hamilton Heights schools, worked on cars - especially Hondas and his beloved MG TD with right hand drive - and sang in many of Indianapolis's most notable choirs, including the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, Cantabile!/Indy VoiceWorks, and Indianapolis Arts Chorale/Encore Vocal Arts, as well as the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, Northminster Presbyterian, Meridian Street United Methodist, and Second Presbyterian Church choirs.
Following Suzanne's untimely death in 2003, Abe found new love with a choral friend, Judith Meyersberg, when the two were singing in Cantabile! and an Indianapolis Arts Chorale production of Leonard Bernstein's Mass. Constant companions for ten years, Abe helped Judy become an excellent photographer, and together they created offbeat and prizewinning Halloween costumes. Abe and Judy officially married in February 2014 after Abe was diagnosed with the colon cancer that took his life.
Abe will be missed for his bass voice, his signature bib overalls with a pocket full of Atomic Fireballs, his Santa Claus impersonations, his obfuscations, and his staunch friendships. He is survived by his wife, Cantor Judith Meyersberg, of Indianapolis; stepdaughter Lisa (Michael) Ilk and grandson Brett Ilk, of Atlanta, Indiana; sister Laura Abigail "Abby" (Theodore) Mathiesen, of Peachtree City, Georgia; nieces Brooke (Daniel) Williams, of Peachtree City, Georgia and Sydney (Nicholas) Kaigler, of Atlanta, Georgia, and their children Abigail and Luke Williams and Colton Kaigler; his chosen brother David "DayDave" (Rachel) Johnson, of Dayton, Ohio and honorary nephews Ben and Dan Johnson; and his adoring dog Sienna, as well as his many friends and choral colleagues. Thanks to the Community Health Home Hospice team, Dave and Rachel Johnson, Darien Tropf, Michael Davis, Kay DeLullo, Faedra and Lew Weiss, and the many others who made it possible for Abe to be at home surrounded by family and friends during his final illness.
A memorial service for Abe will be held on Sunday, July 13, 2014 at First Presbyterian Church, 1207 Conner Street, Noblesville, Indiana at 4:00 pm. Contributions in Abe's memory may be made to the Little Red Door Cancer Agency (http://littlereddoor.org/donate), Encore Vocal Arts (http://www.encorevocalarts.org/index.php/support-encore) or Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 469, Arcadia, IN 46030.
Passed away June 14, 2014. Abe was born to John Hugh Virgil Evans, Jr. and the former Janet Bonnewitz in Yakima, Washington on February 12, 1951, sharing his birthday and his lifelong nickname with Abraham Lincoln. Abe graduated from Maumee High School in 1969 and received a degree in history and political science in 1973 from Wittenberg University, where he was also actively involved in the music department and Wittenberg's renowned touring choir It was also during this time Abe began his career as a photographer doing architectural photography for his father's firm. All of these pursuits, as well as restaurant management, auto mechanics and teaching, remained Abe's lifelong interests and led to a variety of careers and two happy marriages.
Abe met photographer Suzanne Alldredge when he was working as a bill collector and meter reader for the Gwinnett County (Georgia) Water Department and heard her listening to the Karl Haas radio program "Adventures in Good Music". In 1985 he joined Suzanne not only in marriage, but in her photography business in Atlanta, Georgia, and as a caring stepfather to her daughter Alicia "Lisa" Williamson. Abe also taught in Brandon Hall, a private school in Atlanta, and sang bass in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus under the direction of the legendary Robert Shaw; he can be heard on 16 ASO recordings that garnered 14 Grammy awards. Abe often proudly said "I was on a first name basis with Mr. Shaw. He called me Abe, and I called him Mr. Shaw". He was especially thrilled to represent the values of the United States on an ASO tour to East Germany shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall as a member of the first American musical ensemble to perform behind the Iron Curtain.
Looking for a less hectic life and in keeping with his sense of humor, Abe and Suzanne moved AppleTree Photographers to Atlanta, Indiana. Abe became involved in local politics, winning election twice to the Atlanta Town Council and representing Atlanta in other capacities, including the Hamilton North Chamber of Commerce and the Regional Transit Authority. He played a major role in the establishment of DeLullo's Trattoria in Atlanta, served as a well-known and respected substitute teacher in the Hamilton Heights schools, worked on cars - especially Hondas and his beloved MG TD with right hand drive - and sang in many of Indianapolis's most notable choirs, including the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, Cantabile!/Indy VoiceWorks, and Indianapolis Arts Chorale/Encore Vocal Arts, as well as the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, Northminster Presbyterian, Meridian Street United Methodist, and Second Presbyterian Church choirs.
Following Suzanne's untimely death in 2003, Abe found new love with a choral friend, Judith Meyersberg, when the two were singing in Cantabile! and an Indianapolis Arts Chorale production of Leonard Bernstein's Mass. Constant companions for ten years, Abe helped Judy become an excellent photographer, and together they created offbeat and prizewinning Halloween costumes. Abe and Judy officially married in February 2014 after Abe was diagnosed with the colon cancer that took his life.
Abe will be missed for his bass voice, his signature bib overalls with a pocket full of Atomic Fireballs, his Santa Claus impersonations, his obfuscations, and his staunch friendships. He is survived by his wife, Cantor Judith Meyersberg, of Indianapolis; stepdaughter Lisa (Michael) Ilk and grandson Brett Ilk, of Atlanta, Indiana; sister Laura Abigail "Abby" (Theodore) Mathiesen, of Peachtree City, Georgia; nieces Brooke (Daniel) Williams, of Peachtree City, Georgia and Sydney (Nicholas) Kaigler, of Atlanta, Georgia, and their children Abigail and Luke Williams and Colton Kaigler; his chosen brother David "DayDave" (Rachel) Johnson, of Dayton, Ohio and honorary nephews Ben and Dan Johnson; and his adoring dog Sienna, as well as his many friends and choral colleagues. Thanks to the Community Health Home Hospice team, Dave and Rachel Johnson, Darien Tropf, Michael Davis, Kay DeLullo, Faedra and Lew Weiss, and the many others who made it possible for Abe to be at home surrounded by family and friends during his final illness.
A memorial service for Abe will be held on Sunday, July 13, 2014 at First Presbyterian Church, 1207 Conner Street, Noblesville, Indiana at 4:00 pm. Contributions in Abe's memory may be made to the Little Red Door Cancer Agency (http://littlereddoor.org/donate), Encore Vocal Arts (http://www.encorevocalarts.org/index.php/support-encore) or Hamilton Heights Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 469, Arcadia, IN 46030.
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