Thomas Gregory Evans

Born December 13th 1932, Thomas “Greg” Evans arrived during the tough times generated by the stock market crash of ‘29. He was born and raised in El Paso, Texas till age 8, when the Evans family moved to California, waiting for transportation to Greg’s dad’s new job at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor put an end to that.

Migrating south, to settle in Fontana, California, Greg’s love of airplanes led him to the small airport nearby. He would wash and wax a plane for a ride. He soon joined the Civil Air Patrol, where flying was part of the program. By age 17, he was a licensed private pilot.

His next 3 years were spent working his way through college and serving as a U S Naval Reserve radioman. When he learned the Navy needed more pilots, Greg jumped at the chance. Three weeks after his 21st birthday, Naval Cadet Evans was in training at Pensacola. Eighteen months later, the boy from the wrong side of the tracks received his commissioned as a Naval officer and designated Pilot.

Greg rose in rank quickly and was eventually sent to the Naval Post Graduate School, where he earned 2 degrees, including a Masters in Computer Systems Management, something brand new at that time. During Viet Nam, Greg became Commanding Officer of the largest Anti Submarine Warfare Squadron on the east coast. He served as Air Officer on the Admiral’s staff aboard the USS Wasp, in charge of recovering the Gemini 12 spacecraft and it’s astronauts.

After 22 years in the Navy, Greg had flown on and off the decks of 8 different carriers, spent 2 tours over seas, 2 in D.C. and multiple tours across the U.S. Greg continued defending his country for another 20 years as a civilian aerospace engineer.

Finally retiring to rural Elbert County, Colorado, Greg and Paige established the Whisper Crossing Ranch and began raising Texas Longhorn cattle.

Greg and Paige were married 62 years and 9 months; they have 3 children: Brett, Diedre aka Dee, and Scott; 8 grandchildren: Jolene, Alex, Gabe, June, Ben, Isaac, Jesse and Maria; and 10 great-grandchildren: Grady, Anthony, Bruce, Jethro, Chloe, Daniel, Samuel, John David, and Pearl.

Greg’s remains will reside at Fort Logan Military Cemetery.