Eighty years ago, American soldiers were returning home from Europe where they had won the war against Hitler and the Nazis. One of those was V.C. Evans from Arley.
V.C. died June 17 at age 101 in his beloved Arley. He loved the land and the people.
He had joined the U.S. Army on February 4, 1944, at age 19. It was just as preparations were ramping up for the landing at D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Following basic training at Camp Crowder, Mo., he sailed from New York City to Marseilles, France, where he began his mission delivering communications to those front-line troops that had landed on D-Day and were approaching Berlin. He often drove a jeep through enemy territory under the cover of darkness.
While serving near the Siegfried Line in Germany, he was wounded in a nighttime bombing attack that claimed the life of a friend and fellow serviceman and left others wounded. Though he was never one to speak much of his own sacrifice, he carried the weight of that moment for the rest of his life.
Upon returning home to Arley, V.C. started a dairy farm with his father, a venture that laid the foundation for his lifelong connection to the land. In addition to his work as a dairy farmer, he served as a rural mail carrier for 48 years, delivering not only mail but kindness to those along his route.
In 1972, he opened Evans Service Station, a business he operated faithfully for decades. Even into his nineties, V.C. could be seen at the service station each day, greeting customers and serving his community with quiet consistency.
Throughout his life, V.C. served on several boards, including Looney’s Tavern Amphitheater, where he enjoyed meeting visitors from across the country and sharing the story of Winston County’s unique heritage – “the Free State of Winston.”
V.C. was a man of few words, but those who knew him understood he had a heart for the lost. He carried a quiet but passionate urgency for sharing the gospel, often visiting along with pastors and fellow deacons to those in need of salvation. His love for his church, Arley First Baptist, was evident in his faithful service as a deacon and his behind-the-scenes generosity to others.
V.C. was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather—steadfastly caring for his beloved wife, Annis, throughout their 77 years of marriage.
A service to celebrate V.C.’s life was held at Collins-Burke Funeral Home on June 19, officiated by Revs. Don Graham, Mike Goforth and Zac Reno.
"I have found your American Army the most honorable of all our enemies. You have also been the bravest of our enemies." — German soldier WWII
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler’s beat is the colorful and positive about Alabama -- her people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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