As received from the Memorial Chapel Funeral and Cremation Service. If you have questions about, or potential corrections to the content, please contact the funeral home directly.
Gary Thomas Evans, longtime resident of Houghton, died Saturday, August 22, 2026, at the Omega House in Houghton.
He was born December 30, 1940, in El Paso, Texas; he was the son of Thomas J. and Evelyn (Graver) Evans. His life’s work was as an educator and educational consultant, primarily in the field of adult religious education and spiritual formation. Although he resided in various places in the Upper Peninsula for most of his adult life, he traveled extensively in the United States as a consultant.
In 1987, he became a priest in the Episcopal Church. In his ordained ministry, he visited many Upper Peninsula congregations which did not have a resident priest to assist them in worship and sacramental rites. After more than 20 years of traveling ministry, he took a leave of absence, after which he settled in Houghton.
For many decades, he did extensive research into his family’s history in the United States. He gathered information on four generations, including sixteen family lines going back to the seventeen hundreds. He felt a deep sense of gratitude for the contribution that his ancestors had made to making his life possible.
He was delighted to be able to be a companion to his mother during the final four years of her life. Both his parents were an inspiration to him, and he was grateful to be able to show that gratitude in a small way at the end of his mother’s life.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved sister, Lois Barbara Evans Gordon, in addition to her son Kris and her daughter, Debra. He was also preceded in death by Philip J. Nancarrow, his life companion of 41 years.
He is survived by his nieces, Denise Gordon Stafford and Sheri Lynn Gordon Vargas, as well as several great-nieces and great-nephews.
A Memorial Service and Celebration of Gary’s Life will be held 2:00 pm Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Portage Lake United Church, with Rev. Peter Norland to officiate. Burial will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery.
Friends may call on Wednesday August 26, 2026, from 1:30 pm until time of services at Portage Lake United Church.
A fellowship gathering will be held immediately following the service at the church fellowship hall.
To view Gary’s obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.memorialchapel.net.
The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Hancock Chapel has assisted the family with the arrangements.
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