John D. Evans, 77, of Flandreau, SD passed away following a brief illness on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 at Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.
John David was born October 11, 1941 to David and Gertrude (Aldrich) Evans in Mitchell, SD.  He was raised in the wild west of Kadoka, SD.  The son of a Superintendent of the Kadoka school system he didn’t get away with much, but sure had a good time trying.  He and his sister, Barb, spent many of their summers in the Black Hills at the family cabin his dad built.  He always cherished his Black Hills memories and took time throughout his life to care for the cabin. John received his teaching degree from Dakota Weslyan University and began his teaching and coaching career in Kimball, SD. He moved onto Wagner, SD, where he met his fellow teacher and future wife, Florence Meier.  John and Florence were married August 14, 1970.  The rest of John’s life was spent in the town of Flandreau, SD where they raised their four children. He received his masters in counseling from SDSU and spent his years in Flandreau as the high school Guidance Counselor, assistant football coach and head track coach until his retirement in 2001.  In his retirement years he drove the community’s transit bus.  He was an active member of Ss. Simon and Jude Catholic Church where he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the Flier Booster Club. The things that John enjoyed the most in life were all things history (especially South Dakota history), bowling with his league buddies, the Minnesota Vikings, Twins and all of the Flandreau sports teams.  If John wasn’t at a local sporting event, then it wasn’t happening. John was a patient and loving husband, father, grandfather, teacher and coach who will forever be loved and missed by all of those he came in contact with in his long career.  He was loyal to and loved his community and all of the people in it.
John is survived by his wife of 49 years: Florence Evans, Flandreau; three children: Karen (Jim) Harney, Eden Prairie, MN, Kathy (Cornell) Dorsey, Roswell, GA and Annie (Mike) Terveen, Sioux Falls, SD; his daughter-in-law: Heather (Caron) Evans; nine grandchildren; and his sister: Barbara Renning, Valentine, NE.  He is preceded in death by his parents and his son, Steve.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 am Saturday, August 31, 2019 at Ss. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, Flandreau, SD, with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation is 4:00 – 6:00 pm Friday with a 6:00 pm scripture service and Knight of Columbus rosary at Skroch Funeral Chapel, Flandreau. www.skrochfc.com