SOUTHPORT — James William Evans (Big Red), 82, of Southport, passed away peacefully May 17, 2025.
Born August 16, 1942 in Meridian, MS, he was a son of William Louis and Mildred Clay Evans. He graduated from Southport High School in 1961 where he played Football and was class Historian. He grew up on the McRacken Farm. He was a member of the Methodist Church.
He joined the military in 1961 after high school. His trade was an electrical contractor, where he owned and operated Southport Electrical Service from 1973 until 2014. He was a Mason at Pythagoras Lodge #249 in Southport. He was also the President of the North Carolina Association of Electrical Contractors for a four year term and was the current license holder of the Generator Super Center in Wilmington, NC.
He was a loving, faithful husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, provider, strong, loving, determined, honest, trustworthy and respected in the community. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and historian. He was a man of few words, but when he spoke, everyone listened.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Patricia Evans; his sons, Clay Evans and his fiancé Michaela Cuneo and Ricky Evans and his wife, Christy Evans; his grandchildren, Jessica Waite, Ethan Evans, Garret Evans, Lainey Evans, and Tyler Evans; his great grandchildren, Addison Waite, Charley Waite, Wren Evans, Reagan Evans, and Isla Rae Evans; a sister, Charlotte Cochran and her husband, Gerald Cochran; his niece, Pam Heeger.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, David Evans and Louis Clay Evans; and his great grandchild, William Clay Evans.
