Carol Jean (McClure) Evans, age 73, died late Thursday night, December 1, 2011 , at her rural Plains, Kansas residence.

She was born July 28, 1938 at Liberal, Kansas , the daughter of J. Raymond and June (Willis) McClure. As a girl, she attended the Kismet School system, graduating from Kismet High School in 1956. She also spent some of her childhood in Denver, Colorado at a time when it was still safe for kids to ride their bikes and take the bus alone. Upon her graduation, she attended business school in Colorado before moving to southeast Kansas where she attended Pittsburg State University , Pittsburg .

On August 28, 1958 , she married Gary Evans at Kismet, Kansas . After their marriage, the couple lived in several communities, including Pittsburg, Kansas ; Hays, Kansas ; El Paso, Texas ; Parsons, Kansas ; Rogers, Arkansas ; and Chipley, Florida . In 1974, they returned to Kansas and have made their home in rural Plains. Over the years, Carol was the consummate homemaker, mother, and wife.

She was also a member of the Plains Christian Church, Daughters of the American Revolution, the Mayflower Society, and the B42 Bridge Club (a group she enjoyed for over 30 years). She currently served as a precinct committee woman in the Meade County Republican Party. She was passionate about the library and volunteered for many years at the Plains Library. She was instrumental in developing the computerized card catalog for the library. She enjoyed genealogy, playing bridge, walking with her family and dogs, reading, studying the Bible, and a good cup of coffee (and she liked it strong). She was most proud of being a mother.

She is survived by her husband, Gary Evans of rural Plains, Kansas; two sons, Eric Evans of Portland, Maine and Andy Evans of Coldwater, Kansas ; a daughter, Hilary Evans of Athens, Alabama ; and a brother, Raymond McClure of Baton Rouge, Louisiana .

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 9, 2011 , at the Plains Christian Church, Plains, Kansas, with Pastor Rich O’Toole presiding. Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m . with the family present from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Fidler-Orme-Bachman Mortuary, Meade, Kansas . Interment will follow the funeral services in the Plains Cemetery, Plains.

In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome memorials to the Plains Library in care of the funeral home.

Personal condolences may be given to the family at www.fidlerormebachmanmortuary.com