William T. Evans, MD
SCOTTSDALE – On August 11th, 2018, longtime Valley resident William T. Evans, MD (74) passed away peacefully in Scottsdale, AZ after a brief battle with cancer.
Dr. Evans was raised in a small town in Indiana, graduating from New Ross High School in 1961. While there, he received many scholastic and athletic awards, ultimately earning a Rector Scholarship to attend DePauw University where he completed his degree in Premedical Science in 1965.
After completing 4 years of medical school at Indiana University in 1969, the lure of sunshine (and unlimited golf) persuaded Bill to forego a residency opportunity in radiology at Vanderbilt University and relocate to Phoenix, where he began a one year rotating internship at Good Samaritan Hospital. At this time, he also chose to enlist as a physician in the USAF reserve unit at Luke Air Force Base, along with “moonlighting” at various emergency rooms around the valley.
For the next 43 years he specialized in Emergency Medicine, choosing to avoid the restrictions of an office and being on call. In 1972, he became a charter member of the American College of Emergency Physicians and was board certified throughout his career, practicing at numerous hospitals across the valley including Good Samaritan, St. Luke’s, John C. Lincoln, Phoenix Baptist, Sun City, and Sun City West. He concluded his medical journey at the Arizona Heart Hospital in 2013, ready to hang up the stethoscope and retire to the golf course.
Bill loved all sports, but baseball, golf and skiing remained his favorites, all of which he enjoyed on vacations with his family. A 45-year member at Paradise Valley Country Club in Arizona, Bill won several individual events, but the most special were father/son and husband/wife championships. He was also fortunate enough to have made 11 holes-in-one in his lifetime, much to the chagrin of his peers. Although his individual accomplishments gave him great pride, he always considered his wife and children his greatest treasures. Bill genuinely touched the hearts of everyone he met, and was not only a physician to his patients, but to countless friends and family over the course of his lifetime. He was humility, integrity and altruism personified, and was beloved by everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed.
Bill is survived by wife Debbie, daughter Kelsey and son Christopher of Scottsdale, AZ; brother Patrick (Shannon) of Greencastle, IN; niece Shelly (Ed) Leonida of Arlington Heights, IN; brother-in-law Knox(Marsha) Rodgers and their children Kelly, Matthew and Allison of Atlanta, GA . Bill also has numerous other cousins, aunts and uncles that survive. He is preceded in death by his parents Tom & Nina Evans of New Ross, IN.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The American Cancer Society. A Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 29th at 11:00 AM at Valley Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, AZ.