Obituary of Dr. Thomas A Evans

Sunrise- August 31, 1928

Sunset- July 19, 2024

Dr. Thomas Archie Evans transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with his family on July 19, 2024.  He was born to the late Thomas Freddie Evans and Jesse Redcross Evans in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  A daughter was also born of this union six years later.  Dr. Evans was known as Archie and Tom.  He was married  to Constance  Swain 66 years ago and of this union two children were born Karen and Thomas.  Archie graduated from West Philadelphia High School and received his BS degree from Shaw University and his DDS degree from Temple University Dental School.

While at Shaw he joined the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and the graduate chapter in Philadelphia after graduating. He opened a dental practice and practiced for many years before going into Dental Management. 

He was Director of Dental Relations at Prudential Insurance, Director of dental and scientific affairs at Warner Lambert and President of the Dental Program Group.  A management group to treat low income patients.

While in practice he volunteered his service in the evening to OIC (Opportunities Industrialization Center) in Camden, New Jersey headed by Rev. Leon Sullivan.  He served as the director of the orientation and testing phase of that program.

In the early sixties during the Civil Rights movement he was a member of SNCC, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and hosted a young John Lewis in his home when he was in the area.  He was also listed in Whose Who in America. 

He was in the ROTC at Shaw and on graduating joined the military  and served in the chemical corps in the army.  He was later in the army reserve and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  He was proud and distinguished,  a man consoled rather than  consumed by his faith.  He enjoyed sports and was an avid golfer and enjoyed the game of tennis.  So much so that in retirement he became a tennis pro and coached at the Arthur Ashe Center in Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Community College.  There were times when he gave free lessons to a group of children in Morristown, New Jersey.

Professionally he  was a member of the National Dental Society, American Dental Association, New Jersey State Dental Society, Commonwealth Dental Society,  American Medical Writers  Association, Tri-County Dental Society, South Jersey Medical and Dentistry Association, Commonwealth Dental Society and American Association for Dental Research.

He also served on the Board of Directors of the Morris County Urban League, Advisory Board Morris County College, and Board of Directors of the  Morris/ Sussex Counties Boy Scouts.  He at one time was a Boy Scout and served as a Scout  Master in later years.  He was also a member of club Emanon a men’s club in South Jersey.  His latest focus was Africa and  establishing a dental health program there.

He was a family man and enjoyed celebrating special occasions with them. He is survived by his devoted wife, Constance, children, Karen and Thomas and wife, Mary Grace, two grandchildren, Troy and Christian, his sister, Joyce Stewart, two sister in laws, Donna Hardy and Viviane Herger and brother in law, James Herger, nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 17, 2024, from 9:00-11:00AM with a service begining at 11:00AM at Tuttle Funeral Home, Randolph. Interment to follow at Northern New Jersey Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Sparta.