1923
Mary
2024
Mary B. (Bonin) Evans
May 20, 1923 — July 11, 2024
Mary Evans Obituary
Mary Bonin Evans, 101, of Columbia, CT, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
Mary was born May 20, 1923, in Scranton, PA to Helen and Frank Bonin. She graduated from Beaver College in Jenkintown, PA, in 1945 with a B.S. degree.
She married husband George Evans in 1947 in Georgia, where she taught a class of 40 fourth and fifth graders while George finished his degree at Piedmont College. Next came three years in New Haven, CT, where Mary worked as a secretary in the registrar’s office while George attended Yale Divinity School. After graduation, they moved to Germantown, PA, where their first son George was born in 1951.
In 1957, George became a pastor of the Columbia Congregational Church, and Mary lived in Columbia for the next 67 years. As a minister's wife, Mary was expected to be involved in all church activities. She also participated in many community activities, such as the CROP Walk and the Columbia Historical Society, as well as teaching at the co-op kindergarten for three years.
Mary’s second son John was born in Willimantic in 1961, so now she was raising two boys as well as fulfilling all her other commitments. In addition, she found time to work as a substitute teacher at Horace Porter School and joined the church’s newly formed bell choir. She especially enjoyed attending the bell choir festivals, where many bell choirs performed together. Mary also took classes in real estate, got her real estate license and joined Turf Realty, spending many happy hours showing and selling houses.
Mary was devoted to her family. She made holidays and birthdays so special throughout the years and planned frequent family vacations to Philadelphia, Scranton, and Atlantic City. She was an avid reader and always was ready for a spirited game of Yahtzee. When her granddaughter Jenny was born in 1988, Mary loved her new role as grandmother, and they developed a special bond.
The family wishes to thank Mary's caregivers for the compassionate care they provided to her. They also would like to thank Hartford Healthcare at Home Center for Hospice Care for their care and support, and the Columbia Volunteer Fire Department for helping over the years.
Mary was predeceased by her parents Helen and Frank Bonin, her brother Joe and her husband George. She is survived by her sons George (Wendy) and John, granddaughter Jenny (Ryan), as well as her niece Janice Burkhart (Dave) and their daughter Ashley, and nephew James Smith (Stacey).
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 11:00am at the Columbia Congregational Church, 325 CT-87, Columbia CT 06237. Memorial donations may be made to the Columbia Congregational Church.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Mary B. (Bonin) Evans, please visit our floral store.
Read More
Mary Bonin Evans, 101, of Columbia, CT, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, July 11, 2024.
Mary was born May 20, 1923, in Scranton, PA to Helen and Frank Bonin. She graduated from Beaver College in Jenkintown, PA, in 1945 with a B.S. degree.
She married husband George Evans in 1947 in Georgia, where she taught a class of 40 fourth and fifth graders while George finished his degree at Piedmont College. Next came three years in New Haven, CT, where Mary worked as a secretary in the registrar’s office while George attended Yale Divinity School. After graduation, they moved to Germantown, PA, where their first son George was born in 1951.
In 1957, George became a pastor of the Columbia Congregational Church, and Mary lived in Columbia for the next 67 years. As a minister's wife, Mary was expected to be involved in all church activities. She also participated in many community activities, such as the CROP Walk and the Columbia Historical Society, as well as teaching at the co-op kindergarten for three years.
Mary’s second son John was born in Willimantic in 1961, so now she was raising two boys as well as fulfilling all her other commitments. In addition, she found time to work as a substitute teacher at Horace Porter School and joined the church’s newly formed bell choir. She especially enjoyed attending the bell choir festivals, where many bell choirs performed together. Mary also took classes in real estate, got her real estate license and joined Turf Realty, spending many happy hours showing and selling houses.
Mary was devoted to her family. She made holidays and birthdays so special throughout the years and planned frequent family vacations to Philadelphia, Scranton, and Atlantic City. She was an avid reader and always was ready for a spirited game of Yahtzee. When her granddaughter Jenny was born in 1988, Mary loved her new role as grandmother, and they developed a special bond.
The family wishes to thank Mary's caregivers for the compassionate care they provided to her. They also would like to thank Hartford Healthcare at Home Center for Hospice Care for their care and support, and the Columbia Volunteer Fire Department for helping over the years.
Mary was predeceased by her parents Helen and Frank Bonin, her brother Joe and her husband George. She is survived by her sons George (Wendy) and John, granddaughter Jenny (Ryan), as well as her niece Janice Burkhart (Dave) and their daughter Ashley, and nephew James Smith (Stacey).
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 11:00am at the Columbia Congregational Church, 325 CT-87, Columbia CT 06237. Memorial donations may be made to the Columbia Congregational Church.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Mary B. (Bonin) Evans, please visit our floral store.
Read More
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mary B. (Bonin) Evans, please visit our flower store.
Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors