Summer has arrived in our area as thousands of children are enjoying summer vacation. We are joining in the celebration by sharing this casual outdoor photograph of Robert “Bobby” Evans taken c. 1920 from our J. B. Hostetler Studio collection.
Robert, son of Harry and Grace Evans, was born August 21, 1910 in Davenport. He attended local schools before boarding at the Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts. Robert and his parents visited Europe in his teenage years and he attended school there briefly before starting at Harvard. In 1928, Robert and his father made local headlines for hunting big game in British East Africa. After college, Robert was a journalist before entering the military. He served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. During WWII he fought in Africa, the invasion of Sicily, and the Omaha Beach landing with the 1st Infantry Division of the Army.
He retired with the rank of Col. in the Army. After retiring from the military, Robert continued his service by working for officials in Washington D. C. He died April 29, 1995 in Washington D. C. and is buried in St. John’s Church Cemetery in Washington alongside his wife, Jane Katherine Rowe Evans. His parents, Harry and Grace, are buried in Oakdale Memorial Gardens in Davenport. At the time of his passing, he was survived by two daughters, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
