Helen Horlacher Evans
Friday 11th of June 1920 - Tuesday 11th of January 2022

Services
Service
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.
Guest Book
Kathy and Ben Mark
saysCarson and family, Ben and I are so sorry to her about your loss. Your Mother was a remarkable lady and an accomplished one too. She will be missed by all who knew her. You know how much my mother and father thought of your mom and how kind she was to both of them. You are all in our thoughts and prayers. Ben and Kathy Gibb Mark
CF & Christy Larkin
saysCarson & family, Christy and I are so sorry to hear of your mom’s passing. She was a fine person and wonderful example for all of us! Our prayers are with you all. Christy & Buster
Nellie little
saysSo sorry to hear of her death, she was a great lady and a good friend,
Jackie Holman
saysMrs Evans was a Meadowthrope icon
Genie Whayne
saysThinking of Helen Evans’s family. Am so sorry about Helen’s passing. She was a lovely, extraordinary person who achieved so much in her life! I will miss her smiling face wherever we encountered each other! God Bless You! Genie Whayne
Dixiana Solomon
saysMy husband and I are so sorry to hear of Helen's passing. She will be missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing her. Prayers to her family.