Dave Evans
Dave Evans
I hope they all work hard in school. When they get out of school, have fun. You’re only young once. Soon you get to be the age I am, old.
Dave Evans
My name is Dave Evans. I was born in Wabasha, Minnesota on April 23, 1937. I was born premature. I didn’t talk until I was 4 years of age. My father traveled because of business and my mother basically raised the family. We moved to Minneapolis when I was 8 years old.
During my elementary experience, I had 14 ear operations from infections. I am legally deaf. It is an inherited hearing loss. You can only pass it on if you have it. I spent time from third grade through high school at a special school to learn lip reading. In third grade, I also got polio and had a reading problem with dyslexia. I never thought of it as a disability. I looked at myself as being different.
I geared my whole life from third grade on towards athletics. I wrestled, did track, baseball, basketball, boxing and football. I was a rebel in high school. On the outside I showed leadership with the wrong people. Then I transferred my working ability from one group to a different group and things blossomed for me in my life.
I enlisted in the military in the Navy in a construction battalion in 1955. I had an honorable discharge after my second summer because I had a scholarship for the handicap to go to school. I entered Macalester College in Pre-Engineering. In the summers I coached Little League and got enthused to work with kids. I entered in engineering and came out a teacher.
I was married to Geri in 1963 and had two sons. I got divorced in 1976 and married Gwen in 1978. We have been married for 31 years. She brought two sons into the marriage, and total I have four grandchildren and one on the way. As far as teaching, I was the mathematics chair for 5 years. I was also the union negotiator for 36 years and on the school board for 13 years. I’ve been in the St. Anthony-New Brighton school district for 45 years.
From 1959 to 1972 I coached. In my career I had 111 wins, 32 losses, and 2 ties. In 1961, I started the wrestling program here in St. Anthony. I had to quit coaching because of a heart problem. I walked into the cardiologist and he scheduled me for open heart surgery. I was months away from a heart attack.
In retirement I’ve been enjoying my cabin that I built. I’ve been on the Windsor Green board, where I live, since 1987. I joined Kiwanis to do volunteer work. In 1996, I was elected to the school board. I’m well-grounded in the community. What keeps me coming back is I see the good things the kids can accomplish after they leave. When they leave St. Anthony- New Brighton, I want them to say they have a good foundation.
That’s The Kind Of thing That You Do Not Forget
Honoring Dave Evans
That’s The Kind Of thing That You Do Not Forget
(Honoring Dave Evans)
I was born in Wabasha in 1937,
On April 23, my name is Dave Evans.
I was born premature, fed with an eyedropper;
Didn’t talk ‘til I was four, I was a slow starter.
That’s the kind of thing that you do not forget!
In third grade had polio, plus 14 ear operations,
That left me, deaf in one ear, from all those infections.
Plus I was small for my age, which made me angry,
But I was fast with a ducktail pulled back with brylcreem.
That’s the kind of thing that you do not forget!
Dyslexia, I also had, which made it hard for reading
When I read - read right to left which gave me trouble,
Except for math, it helped me out, just one more situation
Of the troubles that I had with my education.
That’s the kind of thing that you do not forget!
In my day, hear what I say, had to learn quickly
To use my brain, over those, who only use their muscles.
I was a hood, wasn’t good, but learned to be a leader,
When the football coach made me cut off my sideburns.
That’s the kind of thing that you do not forget!
Then he made me, take off, my jacket of leather
He was not my friend, but in the end, he made me better.
Football, basketball, wrestling, and boxing
Have been the center of my life
Through St. Anthony, New Brighton.
That’s the kind of thing that you do not forget!
From coaching athletics, to Union negotiator
From the School Board to Who’s Who of American Educators,
Where I want, every kid, to have a good foundation
To have fun, when you are young, to get an education.
That’s the kind of thing that you do not forget!
Words & music by Larry Long with Sue Haugerud’s 3rd Grade Class, Wilshire Park Elementary School, St. Anthony Village / New Brighton.
© Larry Long 2009