ROBERT W. "BOB" EVANS
Robert W. "Bob" Evans, 75, of Kansas City, KS, passed away at home with his family surrounding him on April 28, 2020. Bob was born on April 19, 1945 in Chicago, Illinois to Helen (Perciach) and John Evans and was a big brother to Kathy (Hundley). He was raised in a Polish neighborhood where he learned the importance of family, neighborhood & education. He cheered on his hometown teams, the Cubs & Bears, even thru the rough years and enjoyed attending the theaters in downtown Chicago. He worked building Schwinn bicycles like his father and maternal grandfather and always bought Schwinn bikes for his daughters.
He attended Benedictine College in Atchison, KS where he developed his passion for city government during the urban renewal years, photography and the “bob shot” and most importantly met Jackie O’Neill, his best friend for the last 56 years. He took a hiatus from college from 1966 to 1968 to enlist in US Army and serve his country during Vietnam. He worked in helicopter aviation at Ft Sill, Ft Polk and Ft Eustice. While on TDY to Philadelphia, the entire base at Ft Sill was deployed to Vietnam for Tet offensive. He carried a passion for helicopters the rest of his life and especially loved the distinctive sound of a Chinook flying overhead. He was proud of his military service and always honored those who served.
After his discharge in 1968, he returned to Illinois and married Jackie in her hometown of Wyoming, IL. They returned to Atchison where he completed his degree in Political Science. He cherished his life-long friendships with his collegiate classmates and taught his daughters the Ravens fight song… “Ravens are flying high in the sky, cheer them on their way”. Bob then attended the University of Kansas and began his coursework for a Master’s Degree in Public Administration.
His professional career spanned 45 years as a municipal administrator in several cities/counties beginning in Atchison, KS, Wichita Falls, TX, Waxahachie, TX. In 1977 he was selected as City Manager for Bonner Springs, KS. His passion for public service and commitment to his community was evident in both his words and actions. He focused community projects on improving the lives of employees and residents including constructing a new Community Center and Library, expanding K-7 highway with a new bridge over Kansas River to a new industrial park, constructing a new sewer treatment plant, developing the K-7 & Kansas Avenue intersection, developing the Fun Valley Pool and bringing the Renaissance Festival to Bonner Springs. Bob also knew the little things counted. His door was always open to citizens and he would personally pick up missed trash on collection day and help the firemen hold a hose at a fire. He especially loved community celebrations that brought people together including summer band concerts, slicing watermelons in BIG slices on Independence Day and the Tiblow Days Parade.
In 1991 he was hired by the City of Kansas City, KS and served as the Community Development Director, Budget Officer, Grants Administrator and Director of Emergency Management. He was proud to be part of a great team that consolidated governmental operations between Kansas City, KS and Wyandotte County as well as pivotal projects like the Pala Vista Development on 7th street, EPA Building, bringing Google Fiber to Kansas City, KS first in the nation, the KS Speedway selection, Legends development, implementation of a county-wide communications radio system and supporting residents affected by the 2003 tornado. He retired from government service in October 2013. Bob & Jackie enjoyed driving vacations across the United States as well as international travel with family and friends
Throughout his life, Bob was incredibly dedicated to his work, but he was never happier than spending time with his family. Together, Bob and Jackie raised two daughters, Patty (Matt) Hilderbrand and Colleen (Ken) Morgan and were thrilled to enjoy time with their four grandchildren Evan and Kaiya Hilderbrand, Emma and Jackson Morgan, as well as grand-dog Moose. His passion for reading became a family legacy, first in print and then digital, leading to all of his children and grandchildren having kindles on his amazon account. Grandpas transportation service was available at a moment’s notice to drive his beloved grandchildren wherever they wanted to go. Any day with his family was a great day
Throughout his life, Bob developed strong mentor relationships and made life-long friendships. He emphasized the importance of volunteer service and truly cared about city staff. He is well remembered for his smile, a great sense of humor, big bear hugs, huge heart and selfless generosity. He devoted his life to public service and firmly instilled that philosophy in his children. His greatest legacy are his children and grandchildren and his daily reminder to “just treat people nice”. The family is planning a memorial celebration at a later date and all are welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the charity of your choice.