James Madison Evans, 88, of Tifton passed away Saturday, November 4, 2017, at Tift Regional Medical Center. His funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 8, 2017, in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton's First Baptist Church with Dr. Wayne Roe officiating. Mr. Evans will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends Tuesday, November 7, 2017, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals. Mr. Evans will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service.
Joshua Godwin, Jack Lee, Marcus Evans, Scott Evans, Paul Crum, Wildes Crum, Philip Barnes and Adam Simmons will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Walter Strange, Willie Frazier, Johnny Abee, Jordan Soles and David Stewart.
Born December 4, 1928 in Worth County, Mr. Evans was the son of the late Marcus Harris Evans and Maxie Walea Evans. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Sylvia Crum Evans, who passed away May 24, 2015. He graduated from Tifton High School in May of 1945; from Emory at Oxford College in 1947 and from Emory University in 1949, where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Before retiring, he was a farmer and owner of Evans Plant Company. He served in the United States Army from 1950-1952 and was a member of Tifton’s First Baptist Church. He served for 29 years on the Tift County Board of Family and Children Services and was a former member of Springhill Country Club and the Elks Club.
Mr. Evans is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Beth and Randy Godwin of Lenox and Cynthia and Chip Lee of Tifton; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Rufus and Peggy Evans of Ty Ty and Marcus and Martha Evans of Dallas, Texas; and three grandchildren, Joshua Godwin, Hannah Lee Simmons, her husband Adam and Jack Lee.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to Tifton Meals on Wheels, P. O. Box 2053, Tifton, GA 31793.