Harold Anthony Evans, 82, of Bourne and Natick, formerly of Waltham and Malden, Mass. After a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Harold died peacefully at his Natick home on Sunday, August 26, 2012 surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of the late Janet L. (Greenway) and devoted father of Valerie Brewster and her husband Harry of Natick and Pamala Morse and her husband, Hank of Medford. He also leaves his four beloved grandchildren, Emily, Harry, Abbey and Charlotte as well as several nieces and nephews.
Harold was born on August 2, 1930 in Malden, Massachusetts, the youngest of six children, to Agnes M. (Crowe) of County Clare, Ireland and John F. Evans of Boston’s West End. Harold attended Immaculate Conception Primary School, Malden Catholic High, and graduated from Malden High School in 1949. As a boy and teenager growing up in Malden, Harold excelled at sports, particularly hockey and baseball as both team captain and a reliable second baseman. After high school, Harold attended Wentworth Institute of Technology, Fitchburg State as well as Northeastern University where he studied mathematics and computer science. Harold met and married Janet Greenway of Waltham in 1962 and the couple settled and raised their two daughters in Janet’s hometown. Harold loved his work as a computer programmer/systems analyst and was a long time employee of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering Division of Air Quality where he was implemental in the design of the inspection maintenance system currently used in Massachusetts State auto inspections. Formerly Harold had worked at Raytheon in the missiles test division as well as for the United Nations as a courier whose travels often entailed trips to NYC and eagerly anticipated gifts brought home to his wife and two young daughters. He was a lover of classical music, history and sports, especially Boston College football and the Red Sox. After the untimely death of his wife Janet, Harold moved in the spring of 1987 to the community of Bourne on Cape Cod where he subsequently retired. As Harold’s health started to decline in later years, he began living with his daughter Valerie full time in Natick where he also received many hours of loving care at home from the Natick Visiting Nurses Association as well as the doctors and nurses at Newton Wellesley Hospital.
Visiting hours for family and friends are on Friday, August 31st at the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street (at Natick Common) Natick from 4-7 PM with a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, September 1st at 10:00 am at nearby Saint Patrick’s Church, 44 East Central Street. After a graveside remembrance at Mount Feake Cemetery in Waltham following the Mass, family and friends are invited to luncheon and refreshments back at Harold’s home, 20 Shattuck Street, Natick. Welcome contributions in Harold’s name may be made to Natick Visiting Nurse Association, Inc. 209 West Central St. Natick, MA 01760 as well as Catholic Charities, 51 Sleeper St. Boston, MA 02210.