Jerry Evens

Jerald 'Jerry' Evens, 81 of Cedar Rapids, passed peacefully at home Wednesday, November 25, 2020, under the care of Hospice of Mercy. Private Family Memorial Services: 2 p.m. on Saturday December 19, 2020, at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids. Friends and extended family are invited to watch the service via livestream. Please find the livestream link on Jerry's tribute wall and share your support and memories with his family at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries. Jerry was born February 24, 1939, to Neuel and Leora (Hayes) Evens in Shellsburg, Iowa. He married Diane Gritton on September 30, 1961, at St. John's United Church of Christ in Clarence, and they just celebrated 59 years together. Jerry graduated from Shellsburg High School with the class of 1956. His working career was with Country Cobbler Shoes in Cedar Rapids, banking at Hudson State Bank for 18 years, and selling real estate in the Cedar Rapids area. Jerry retired in 2007, after working in maintenance at the Villages in Marion and Keystone Place and Cedars in Cedar Rapids. Jerry enjoyed traveling and antiquing with Diane, golfing, camping, hunting, boating and fishing in his earlier years. His hobbies were reading, Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, Iowa Hawkeyes, and NASCAR racing. He was a member of the Noelridge Christian Church. He is survived by his wife, Diane; his son, Nick (Kelly) Evens of Cedar Falls; daughters, Pamela (Dean) Lane of Peoria, Arizona, and Lisa (Mike) Fink of Rochester, Minnesota. He leaves behind his seven beloved granddaughters, Karissa, Kelsey, and Jessie Lane, Megan, and Kaitlyn (deceased) Evens and Karli and Lauren Fink. Jerry was survived by his sister Aileen Emerson of The Gardens (she passed 12 hours later on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 2020). Preceding him in death were his parents; in-laws, Howard and Genevieve Gritton of Clarence, granddaughter, Kaitlyn Evens; brother-in-law, Howard Emerson; and sister-in-law, Karen Blake. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to Hospice of Mercy, in care of the Mercy Medical Center Foundation, 701 10th Street SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52403 The family would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Timothy Sagers, and the nurses and staff at Hospice of Mercy. Also grateful for our loving family who spent many comforting days with their Dad and Mom.