Margaret Hester (Chapman) Evans departed this world October 31, 2020 at the Gower Convalescent Center due to Covid.
Margaret was born at home in St. Joseph, MO at 7:05am on Wednesday, August 29, 1927 to Pearl P. Chapman and Cleota (Grace) Chapman. She moved with her parents to Estancia, New Mexico, then to Coffey, Missouri where she remembered the snow was so deep “the mailman came across the top of the snow with a horse and sled.” In February 1932, Margaret’s parents moved the family to Long Lane, MO to an 80-acre farm with no electricity or running water but plenty of copperheads. Margaret walked over a mile through the woods to attend Cedar Ridge Elementary, a one-room schoolhouse. One morning, on her way to school, her brother Sonny was bit by a copperhead. Remembering there was road construction not far away, she carried her brother as far as she could, then ran to the crew. They took her brother, promised to get her dad, and she walked on to school.
She married John Herbert “Herb” Evans Sr. on October 21, 1943. Margaret recalled having to walk over a mile to get water with three small children in tow, planting a garden to feed her family, and constantly watching for copperheads while tending the green beans and watching the children play. Margaret, Herb and their children returned to St. Joe in 1950 after her parents returned to find work. After her divorce in 1963, she took in sewing jobs to pay the bills. She sewed wedding and bridesmaid dresses, did alterations, and made crafts. She was also an avid crocheter. Each Christmas and birthday, she made something for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and their significant others. She loved to share patterns with family in New Mexico and Long Lane.
Her grandchildren will remember eating popcorn and listening to the police scanners with her, wearing the Halloween costumes and prom dresses she made for them, visiting on Halloween for homemade popcorn balls, Christmas and Thanksgiving feasts, her chuckle, and her wave goodbye from the front porch where she’d repeat, “Now, come by any time” until their car drove away.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Glen P. Chapman and LeRoy “Sonny” Chapman, her sister Ethel Harris, her sisters-in-law Barbara Chapman and Janet Chapman, brother-in-law Dick Harris, her sons-in-law Jim Kempa and JD Ross, grandson James Allen “Barney” Evans and step-great-grandson Kendall Delp.
She is survived by her brother Everett Chapman and her six children: Mary Kempa of Amazonia; Dorothy Ross, Cleota Lock, and Doris Corkins all of St. Joseph; John (Anna) Evans and Jim (Mary) Evans both of Long Lane. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Dean Penn, Kelly Lock-McMillen, Bob Lock, Corina Gaddie, Brent Corkins, Marcy Evans-Huning, Linda Tiemann, Lori Hopkins, Brenda Kempa, Jessica Evans-Sweiger, Josh Evans, Holly Hoffman, Johnny Evans, and Sarah Evans-Powers, 29 great-grandchildren and 8 great-great-grandchildren.
The family would like to thank Margaret’s nurses who were with her when family could not be: Kathy, Benjamin, Mary, Tyler, Ion, Mandy, Amberley, Lacey, Teresa, Vanessa, Brooke, and, especially, Susan who cared enough, even on her day off, to be at her bedside in the final moments of her life.
Due to COVID, there will be no public service at this time.
Private Graveside and Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. Flowers are appreciated and for those wishing to make a contribution, the family suggests donations to South Park United Methodist Church.
