RobeRt Lee evans, JR.

1915-2015

Robert Lee Evans, Jr., age 99, passed away Monday, the 29th of June 2015 in Houston. Bob was a native Texan, born in San Antonio to Lee and Maurine Evans in 1915. The oldest of six children, he graduated from Brackenridge High School in 1934. The next summer, in search of work, his father moved the family to Houston. One of the first people Bob met there would turn out to be the love of his life, Mary Ella Bailey. They married in November of 1940.

Also in the summer of 1935, Bob enrolled at Rice Institute (now University) where he majored in math. While a student at Rice, he went to work on the switchboard at the Houston Lighting & Power Company. Bob would remain with the Light Company for forty-five years. In his early years, he joined the IBEW. As Bob rose through the ranks at HL&P, one of his roles was as the primary negotiator with the union on behalf of the company. He always thought it helped his ability as a negotiator that he could see both sides. When Bob retired as a Senior Vice-President, he was still a card-carrying union member, something of which he was very proud. At his retirement, the CEO of the company said that they were “losing the best leader of men that they had.”

Bob was also very active in his church, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. He served multiple times on the Vestry, more than once as Senior Warden. He served on several committees to select a new rector. He delivered communion to homebound parishioners. He delivered ‘meals on wheels.’ Bob was a ‘fixture’ at the early Sunday service for as long as it was physically possible.

An extraordinary communicator, Bob was also a modern day “Renaissance man.” He would study a particular discipline and then move on to the next. During his ‘electronics’ phase, he built a stereo system for the house. After that, he studied music from the listener’s perspective. He became a serious student of wine. He painted and sculpted and studied art history. Throughout his life, he was a voracious reader who never forgot anything.

Bob was an intelligent, insightful, empathetic person, and a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He leaves a profound legacy. He will be sorely missed.

Bob was preceded in death by his beloved wife of almost seventy-five years, who passed away just twenty-two days prior, Mary Ella Evans; and his eldest daughter, Carol Lee Evans Cusachs. He is survived by his daughter, Marilynn Evans Schafer and husband John; son-in son, Louis Chopin Cusachs; grandchildren, Katie Schafer, Charlotte Cusachs Bujoreanu and husband Maricel, Preston Cusachs and wife Melanie, and Kendall Cusachs Andrews and husband Robert; and great-grandchildren, George and Sophia Bujoreanu, and Emily, Avary and Grant Andrews.

The memorial service is to be conducted at half-past eight o’clock in the morning on Sunday, the 12th of July, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1805 W. Alabama Street in Houston. The family kindly requests that those who join them for the celebration of Bob’s life wear bright clothing.

In lieu of usual remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church or The United Way, www. unitedway.org