Lt. Col. John Joseph “Jay” Evans (USAF, Ret.), age 63, of Lebanon, Illinois, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019, at Belleville Memorial Hospital.

He was born July 27, 1956, in New Britain, Connecticut, the son of Helen (Gervais) Evans, of Farmington, Connecticut, and the late John Leo Evans.

Besides his mother, he is survived by his wife, Marilyn (Mauch) Evans, whom he married Nov. 29, 1991; two children, Nicole Smith, of Murphysboro, Illinois, and Stephen (Christine) Smith, of O’Fallon, Illinois; two grandchildren, Ashley Smith, of O’Fallon, Illinois, and Lucas Meeks, of Murphysboro, Illinois; and four siblings, Neal (Chris) Evans, of Penfield, New York, Allison (John) Banta, of Burlington, Connecticut, Michael (Beth) Evans, of Dover, New Hampshire, and Mark (Tina) Evans, of Burlington, Connecticut.

Born in New Britain, Connecticut, Jay lived in Farmington, Connecticut, before moving to Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The family then relocated to Washington, North Carolina, where Jay grew up and graduated high school. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time on the Pamlico River with his family and friends.

Jay was appointed to the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1974.

After graduation in 1978, Jay attended pilot training and became a C-130 pilot and instructor. The Air Force gave him the opportunity to travel the world, serving in assignments that included creating the first C-130 Weapons Instructor Course, Operations Officer and Commander for the 61st Airlift Squadron and a deployment to NATO Headquarters in Naples, Italy. Jay also served as an Advance Agent for the Presidential Advance Team (Air Force One). Jay retired from the Air Force in 1998.

He worked for 10 years at Delphi Automotive Systems in Troy, Michigan, as the Corporate Aviation Manager.

A memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, at St. Patrick Church in Farmington, Connecticut. Burial of his cremated remains will be in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.