Helen Horlacher Evans

Helen Hester Horlacher Evans, age 101, died on January 11, 2022.

She was predeceased by her parents, Levi and Vaneta Horlacher, her husband, Joseph C. Evans, Sr., her daughter, Elizabeth Evans (Bill) Cooke, a daughter-in-law, Lida Henderson Evans, and a brother-in-law, John Saindon.

She is survived by her son, Joseph Carson (Janet) Evans, Jr., grandchildren, Rachel Shircliff (Charles) Carpenter, Joseph Carson Evans III, Anne Helen Evans (Francisco Léniz), Jackson Charles Evans, and a great granddaughter, Corabell Carpenter.

She is also survived by her sister, Frances Horlacher Saindon, and several nieces and nephews.

Helen was born on the family farm in Fortville, Indiana, on June 11, 1920. Deciding it was time to get started, Helen arrived early, and she was punctual for the rest of her life. Her love of travel developed early, as her family took a trip to Colorado and visited Pikes Peak before returning to Lexington. Helen was raised in Lexington and was a lifelong member of Second Presbyterian Church. Her father, Levi, was a professor and associate dean at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture from 1918 to 1965.

She was a graduate of University High and the University of Kentucky (College of Home Economics) where she served as president of the Association of Women Students and as president of Kappa Delta sorority.

Upon graduation she taught at Versailles High School for one year before joining the Women’s Army Corps in 1942. She served stateside and in Europe as a Captain in the Office of the Quartermaster General until the end of World War II. She later was inducted into the US Army Quartermaster Hall of Fame.

After the war she worked with the US Veterans Administration.

She married Joe Evans in 1948. They had two children and served three schools as PTA presidents.

Helen served as president of the Lexington Woman’s Club and the Woman’s Club of Central Kentucky. During her term as the state president of the Kentucky Federation of Women’s Clubs she initiated the Kentucky First Ladies in Miniature collection that has been on display for 50 years in the capitol rotunda in Frankfort.

Following the death of her husband in 1971, Helen joined Kentucky Educational Television and assisted in the formation of the Friends of KET organization.

She later worked for the Commonwealth of Kentucky serving as the director of the Lt. Governor’s mansion, special projects coordinator for the Governor’s mansion, and as the administrator of the Vest-Lindsey House.

She represented Kentucky in the creation of the Women in Military Service Memorial located at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery and she was a member of the Kentucky Veterans Hall of Fame.

She was active with the Daughters of the American Revolution at the local (Captain John Waller chapter), state and national levels.

Helen was a University of Kentucky Fellow, a member of the UK Alumni Association, and a season ticket holder for UK Wildcat basketball games. She loved presenting the game ball at a 2015 UK football game, making the “Y” at halftime of a 2016 UK basketball contest, and throwing the opening pitch at a 2017 Lexington Legends baseball game.

Her life was defined largely by a sense of duty, social responsibility, and many friendships. Her faith was important to her and she loved, and will always be dearly loved by, her family.

Helen embraced Life. She was interested in people and events. She loved travel and her adventures took her across the United States and around the world.

She will be missed. 

A service, led by pastor John Leggett, will be held at Second Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 15, at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow.  The service will also be streamed on the Second Presbyterian Church website.  The family asks that visitors wear masks if attending the service.  

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Second Presbyterian Church in Lexington or the Horlacher Scholarship Fund at the University of Kentucky.