Bobby Ray Evans

Bobby Ray Evans, 85, died on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at his home in Lakeview, Oregon. He was born July4, 1938 to Benjamin and Nancy (Stoval) Evans in Bethel, Oklahoma. Bob was the youngest of eight children, five boys and three girls. 

He spent his youth growing up on the family ranch near Bethel where his family raised cattle, hogs, hay, and cotton. Bob acquired a work ethic at an early age that would stay with him for the rest of his life. 

The summer between his junior and senior year he traveled to Oregon with his older sister Mable and her husband Delton. During that summer he greased trucks for Lakeview Logging Company, and a company affiliated with Fremont Sawmill that he would later become the Vice President and General Manager of. 

Bob returned to Oklahoma and graduated from Battiest High School in 1957. After graduation he returned to the Northwest and worked the summer at Blue Lake near Likely California logging with teams of horses. 

On July 4, 1959 (his birthday) he had his first date with his future wife Billie Smith. They were married on December 12, 1959. At the time of Bob’s passing, they had been married 63 years and eleven months. They had four children, Jerry, Joyce, Janette and James. 

In December 1959 he went to work for Fremont Sawmill pulling chain. Bob had a relentless work ethic and business sense. He learned and worked his way through virtually every position at the mill and at the time of his retirement in December of 1994 he was Vice President and General Manager. During this time, he also had other jobs. For years he along with his good friend Ken Capps loaded lumber into box cars at night one board at a time. On the weekends he would often cut and sell firewood. He was an excellent mechanic; he would buy cars and pickups that needed repair work and sell them. Bob believed there was only one way to get ahead in this world and that was to work for it. Bob would often say there is no such thing as standing still, you are either going forward or you are going backwards. 

Bob never lost love for ranching. In 1992 he and Billie purchased the Beacraft Ranch on the westside. He loved making improvements and adding to the ranch. Over the next thirty years they continued to grow the ranch. Bob enjoyed being in the mountains in the summer and on the desert in the winter. 

Bob never lost love for ranching. In 1992 he and Billie purchased the Beacraft Ranch on the westside. He loved making improvements and adding to the ranch. Bob enjoyed being in the mountains in the summer and on the desert in the winter. 

In the early 1980’s Bob got his pilot's license, like everything Bob did in life, he did it with vengeance. He not only became an accomplished pilot, but he learned to rebuild airplanes. He purchased a large hanger at the airport and he and “Hunk Christensen” and other friends would spend countless hours perfecting every detail of every plane they owned. 

Bob wasn’t the type to relax, he was driven to be productive. He was happiest when he was surrounded by his family, and everyone was working on a big project. However, later in life he enjoyed Rodeos and watching his grandchildren participate in their various activities. 

Bob was a self-made man. He believed that anything in life is possible with hard work and perseverance. His life was a living example of this. 

Bob is survived by his wife Billie, Sons; Jerry (Taunie) Evans and James (Leigh Ann) Evans, Daughters; Joyce (Scott) Grasle and Janette (Rick) Hug, 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. 

A graveside service was held on Monday, November 20, 2023, at 1:00 P.M. at the Westside Cemetery with a dessert reception following, because Bob loved sweets. 

Memorial contributions can be made in Bob’s memory to the Westside Grange C/O Nancy Albertson, PO Box 732, Lakeview, Oregon 97630, or to the charity of the donor’s choice. 

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