James Douglas Evanson was born on March 18, 1921, at Northwood, ND, the second son of Jerome Harris and Lulu Esther (Tornbom) Evanson. His parents farmed in the Northwood area, and later near Aneta, until the Great Depression made it necessary for them to leave farming and move to California in 1935. He graduated from high school there in 1939 and then served in the Civilian Conservation Corps until 1940. He was drafted into the Army Signal Corps in June of 1942, and served in Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and the Solomon Islands until his discharge in 1945. He then went on to college, doing undergraduate studies at Jamestown College, where he received his B.A. degree 1949, and later attended graduate school at Washington State, Purdue University, North Dakota State University, Hamline, the University of North Dakota, and Moorhead State University.

While he was enrolled at Jamestown College, he studied chemistry under Professor H.B. Hart. At the time, Dr. Hart's daughter, Mary was working as one of his lab assistants and she and Jim eventually began dating. They were later married in Jamestown on June 4, 1949. They had 5 children, Charles, Emily, John, Anna and Doug. Jim taught high school math and science at New Rockford High School for 17 years, and then taught art classes there for another 13 years, retiring in June of 1982 after 30 years of teaching. He and Mary volunteered their time and efforts for community activities and events, including serving as directors for the New Rockford 4th of July Pageant for 25 years, promoting causes and candidates for the Democratic NPL, and the AARP. He also served on the board of Dakota Prairie Regional Center for the Arts, New Rockford, the Human Rights Committee at 4th Corporation, and was active in the Retired Teachers Association and the Methodist Church.

Jim is survived by three sons, Charles (Karen) of New Rockford, John (Kim) of West Fargo, Doug (Dawn) of Redmond, Wash.; two daughters, Emily Hilgers of Moorhead, Minn.; Anna (Doug) Hoffman of Williston, ND; 10 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; his parents; and his brothers, Jerome Harris Evanson Jr., and Charles Peter Evanson.

Funeral Service: United Methodist Church, New Rockford ND

Date and Time: Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 2:00PM

Interment: Prairie Home Cemetery, New Rockford, ND