In Memoriam: John Paul Evans, M.D.
Theo Smid
Hayward, California
Dr. John Paul (Jack) Evans of California Chapter died February 6, 1989 at age 72 of Alzheimer's Disease. A member of the chapter since 1959, he had been elected ARS Western Vice-President, in line for the presidency, but resigned because of illness. In 1984 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the ARS for his services, including hybridizing rhododendrons.
Evans specialized in
Vireya
(he then had the largest collection in the U.S.),
Cinnabarina
,
Maddenia
and
R. nuttallii
, all of them thriving in the garden. His hybrids include: 'Alfred Martin' (
R. bullatum
x 'Else Frye'), 'John Paul Evans' (
R. nuttallii
x
R. nuttallii
), 'Kimberly Anne' (
R. veitchianum
Cubittii Group Pink Form x 'Else Frye'), 'Lady Holland' ('Lady Berry' x
R. odoriferum
=
R. maddenii
ssp.
crassum
), 'Muriel Giauque' (
R. cinnabarinum
var.
roylei
x
R. odoriferum
), 'Nan' ('Lady Berry' x
R. odoriferum
), 'Paul Molinari' (
R. veitchianum
x 'Else Frye'), 'Robbie' (
R. cinnabarinum
var.
roylei
x
R. yunnanense
), 'Robert Bates' [(
R. zoelleri
x
R. lochiae
) x
R. konori
] and Wentworth' (
R. konori
x
R. lochiae
).
Jack and Fleurette Evans were generous with their support of the chapter and with invitations to visitors singly or in groups and even to passersby who stopped their cars to admire the spectacle of their garden. In recent years Fleurette has maintained the tradition and kept the garden in impeccable condition.
Dr. Evans served as a naval medical officer in World War II and later as chief of staff of Providence Hospital in Oakland, where he established a Continuing Medical Education Program.