William Paul "Bill" Evans, 84, died Thursday May 1, 2025, in Fort Wayne. He was born May 13, 1940, in Lima, Ohio, to Paul and Cleola Evans. Growing up, he loved working with his Grandpa Herman "Pepa" and Grandma Bessie "Mema" Stiles on their nearby farm.

When Bill was in middle school the family moved to Homestead, Florida.  There he attended South Dade High School where he served as the football team's manager and graduated in 1959.

In October 1959 Bill enlisted in the Navy where he served on the USS Surfbird and USS Munsee from 1961-63. Bill's Cold War service enabled his travel to Japan, a country he talked about fondly for the rest of his life. He stayed in touch with veterans from these ships and later attended several reunion events.

After the Navy, Bill returned to Lima then moved to Ft. Wayne where he worked for various employers in manufacturing, including General Electric and John Deere, but found his calling in sales at Bristol Myers-Squibb, where he worked for 25 years.

Bill met Kay Weihmiller on a blind date in Ft. Wayne in 1964, and within a year they were married (July 31, 1965) in Kendallville, Indiana.  Bill enjoyed bowling in a league and joined the Little Turtle Kiwanis Club. Bill and Kay helped found and became life-long members at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, where Bill served on the board of trustees, was chair of several building committees, sang in the choir and participated in mission trips to Connellsville, Pennsylvania and other UMC service activities.

Later in life Bill enjoyed deep sea fishing in Florida, and attending IU basketball and football games.  Kay passed on September 8, 2021 after 56 years of marriage. The unexpected pleasure of a special friendship with Marcia Frazier began in 2023 and together they enjoyed his last years sharing church, travels and each other. Bill will always be remembered for his sunny disposition and his phrase "Keep smilin'!" … no matter the circumstance.

Family was a huge priority for Bill, he always made gatherings a priority.  He is survived by two daughters, Jill S. Robinson of Colorado Springs, CO and Jennifer K. (Michael) Speciale of Fort Wayne, as well as brother Tom Evans and his two children (Gwil and Gwyn) and sister Mary Brucker and her two children (Susan and Cathy). He cherished his grandchildren, Sylvie Kay Robinson (19) and Paul Vincent Speciale (16).

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Shepherd United Methodist Church or your favorite charity in Bill's name.

To view livestream of Bill's service go to https://www.youtube.com/@goodshepherdumc5137