Pictured in front is October veteran of the month Earl Leroy Evans; back row, from left Veteran Affairs Officer Rich Maron, Commissioner Vice-President Bob Conley, Commissioner Ron Truex and Commissioner President Brad Jackson.

WARSAW — Earl Leroy Evans, 92, Warsaw, was honored as the October veteran of the month at the Kosciusko Commissioners meeting held Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Evans was born in Warsaw. He grew up with his nine siblings on their family farm, four and a half miles southeast of Warsaw.

Evans attended school in Claypool. In May of 1944 he joined the U.S. Navy. He went through basic training in Illinois, followed by armed guard training in Gulfport, Miss. He was then sent to Houston where he was to serve on the SS Horatio Allen. However, before embarking, Evans received news of his father’s death, and was granted a leave of absence, allowing him to return home to be with his family.

Determined to serve his country, Evans later returned to Houston as a gunner on the SS Thomas Eakins, setting sail for France. The SS Thomas Eakins sailed up the English Channel, avoiding enemy fire, and successfully unloaded U.S. supplies to troops stationed in France.

Evans later joined the crew of the USS Elmore (APA-42), sailing through European waters and later in the Pacific Theater, arriving after the invasion of Japan to pick up U.S. military members who were heading home.

After serving for two years in the U.S. Navy, Evans was honorably discharged in May 1946.

Seaman First Class USNR Evans received numerous recognitions and honors, including the Victory Medal, American Area Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal and the European African Middle Eastern Area Campaign Medal.

After Evans returned to Warsaw, on Aug. 31, 1946, he married the love of his life, Betty Joan Galbreath. The couple had four children, Mike, Becky, Greg and ReNae, and remained married for 54 years, until the time of Betty’s death in Nov. 2000.

Evans worked as a livestock dealer after his discharge from the Navy, later working in the heavy construction industry. He retired in 1986.

Today, at the age of 92, Evans still lives on the family farm. 2019 will mark 100 years that the farm has been in the Evans family.