Wayland Houston Evans, 83, of Batesville passed away on Monday, Nov. 28, 2016, in San Antonio. Houston was born on Jan. 6, 1933, to George Noyes Evans Sr. and Doris Houston Evans. Houston is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 67 years, Jeannie S. Evans, of Oklahoma. He is the great-grandson of James Dunn Houston of Gonzales, one of Texas’s early trail drivers and cattleman, and Dora Chenault Houston. George Littlefield Houston and Alice Thompson Houston of Gonzales were Houston’s grandparents, as were Col. George Washington Evans of Illinois and his wife, Eliza Jeanette Noyes Evans. His ancestry traces back to Mayflower Compact signer John Howland and his wife, Elizabeth Tilley. Houston’s father, George Noyes Evans Sr., was raised on the Charles Noyes Ranch at Von Ormy, near Somerset, as was Houston and siblings Noyes Evans and Alice Evans Downie. The San Antonio Academy and Texas Military Institute were private schools that Houston attended. Following in the footsteps of his ranchman ancestors in Uvalde County, Houston also ranched in Uvalde County, Marfa and Bandera. During the prime of his rodeo days at a young age, his passion in the rodeo arena was calf roping and quickly became single steer roping as he traveled the rodeo circuit becoming a PRCA Gold Card Member. Several of his rodeo accomplishments were winning the Lovington, New Mexico, steer tripping, and winning the team roping at the Belton, TX PRCA rodeo with his son Jim Houston, who was the age of 14 at the time. Houston was a proud member of the TSCRA and lifetime member of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Houston was preceded in death by his two sons, James Dunn Houston Evans and Jim Houston Evans. Houston and Jeannie’s grandson, Dee Evans, and his wife, Haley, are the parents of Dylan. Their grandson Cole Evans and his wife, Megan, are the parents of Dunn and Ella. Houston’s daughter Jan, and her husband, J.P. Smith, are parents to Justin and his wife, Angelia; Jody and his wife, Dana; and Jacey and her husband, Nic. Their grandchildren are Kaydence, Jackson, Cooper, Berkley, and Brady. Also surviving Houston is his daughter, Jean, granddaughter Haley and husband, Clint Greenough. Pallbearers are Frank Montague, Steel Montague, Todd Whitewood, Codie Rainey, Clint Singleton, and Mitch Waltisperger. Honorary Pallbearers are Bob Lowe, Dr. John Meyer, Dr. Howard Ponish, and John Sullivan. A visitation was held on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Grimes Funeral Chapel in Bandera A rosary was recited on Friday at 10 a.m. at the St. Stanislaus Catholic Church in Bandera, followed by a funeral held at the same location at 10:30 a.m., officiated by Father George Montague. The family invites you to send condolences at www. grimesfuneralchapels.com by selecting the “send condolences” link. In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make donations to the West Texas Boys Ranch, 10223 Boys Ranch Rd., San Angelo, TX, 76904.
THE PRECEDING IS A PAID OBITUARY.