April 18, 1930 – June 2, 2016

NATCHEZ — Services for Oliver “Buddy” Evans Sr., 86, of Natchez, who died Thursday, June 2, 2016, in Dayton, Texas, will be 2 p.m. Sunday at Christian Hope Missionary Baptist Church with the Rev. John Scott Jr. officiating.

Burial will follow at Sunset View Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of West Gate Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5 to 5:45 p.m. today at the funeral home with a celebration of life service at 6 p.m.

Visitation will continue at 1 p.m. until service time Sunday at the church.

Mr. Evans was born April 18, 1930, in Woodville, the son of Robert Evans Sr. and Katie Bell Evans.

He attended Holy Family Catholic School, formerly St. Francis, and was retired from J.C. Penney and A&P Supermarkets.

Mr. Evans was a member of Christian Hope Missionary Baptist Church and served as a deacon. He enjoyed worshipping at Mount Kingdom Missionary Baptist Church in New Orleans. In his younger years, he enjoyed riding horses, hunting, dogs and fishing. His interests were watching western movies, spending time with family and friends, eating soul food and listening to gospel music, especially Mahalia Jackson. 

Mr. Evans was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Josephine Evans; one grandson, Derek Reed; and seven siblings, Darling, Robert, Albert and Benny Evans, Lillian Griggs, Marvis Lighthall and Amelia Evans.

Survivors include one son, Oliver Evans Jr. of Chicago; six daughters, Jacqueline Reed and husband, Ronald, of Maywood, Ill., Mavis Picquet of New Orleans, Wynotta Thompson and husband, James, of Inglewood, Calif., Gretchen Eskridge and husband, Richard, of Douglasville, Ga., Sharon Evans of Acworth, Ga., and Cynthia Minor and husband, Anthony, of Dayton, Texas; 20 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; one sister, Inell Johnson of Pensacola, Fla.; and a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Online condolences may be sent to westgatefh.com.