Meet Your Neighbor and United States Army Veteran Colonel Michael Evans, born in Denver, CO but spent his entire life in and around Stronghurst.
The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer,Quill Publisher/Owner
Meet Your Neighbor and United States Army Veteran Colonel Michael Evans, born in Denver, CO but spent his entire life in and around Stronghurst.
Mike is married to Peggy Evans. They were married at Fort Sam Houston, TX in 2000. They have two children: Sean Michael and Nicole Asanet Evans.
Sean is 19 and a sophomore at Virginia Technical Institute - studying Political Science (National Security) and French
Nicole is 18 and a freshman at Pennsylvania State University. She is a nursing student and planning on being an Army Nurse for a couple years.
Mike's parents are Jack Evans (deceased) and Jane Evans. Jack was a farmer outside Stronghurst and Jane worked as an Outreach Worker for the Western Illinois Regional Council until "forever!" She finally retired last year!
Mike's brother and sister are John and Sara Evans Brown. John is a builder/carpenter and Sara owns the Feedlot Grill restaurant in Stronghurst.
Mike's grandparents are Arlo and Mildred Robinson, Prairie City, IL, Jim and Lucille (Evans) Swanson
Mike graduated from Southern High School "Rebels", and says "where despite some great teachers I was an average student. I was also average in football and track, but loved them both."
He went on to Western Illinois University in Macomb as a undergrad, BS; Army Staff College, graduate degree; Naval War College, graduate degree
Mike said, "I was a janitor at the HS for a summer, worked as a guard at the Ammo Plant in Middletown, Iowa, and was in the Army Reserves in high school and college."
Michael was an Army officer for 30 years, and now works as an Explosives Safety Specialist for the Department of Defense.
He is a member of the American Legion, VFW, EOD Warrior Foundation.
He enjoys hiking, camping and recreational sport shooting.
He enjoys family hikes which included the Inca Trail in Peru, to visit the ancient city of Machu Picchu.
For the future he plans to wait until the kids are out of college, sell their house in Virginia and move somewhere with lower taxes and less traffic.
When asked to describe his favorite saying, quote, or thought.
"You deserve what you tolerate" he said.