Samson Evans Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

The Celebration of the Life of Samson Evans On Saturday, June 18, 2022, our cherished and beloved Samson Evans went home to be with the Lord. He peacefully transitioned into the loving arms of Jesus. Samson was born on June 16, 1950, to the late Deacon Morton Watson Evans and Missionary Fannie Euvenia West Evans. He received his education of eleven years in the public schools of Chester, Pennsylvania, and later completed his high school requirements with a GED. In 1969, he was drafted into the United States Army and deployed to Vietnam during the Vietnam conflict in 1970, serving two years. While there, God had His hand on his life, placing his military comrades around him to protect him in the trenches during battle. On December 1, 1975, Samson was honorably discharged from the Armed Forces. After returning home, Samson furthered his education at West Chester State College for a year. God had always blessed Sam with good jobs, beginning with Burns Security in Philadelphia; Union Carbide Corporation, Delaware County; Medford Meats Company in Chester, Pennsylvania; and ending his career as a United States postal worker for ten years until the early 2000s. Subsequently, he was forced to go out on disability due to consistent health issues. As a young child, Samson received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior while attending his home church, First Pentecostal Holy Church, formerly located on Abbott Street, in Chester, Pennsylvania, whose founder and pastor was the late Bishop W. N. Strobhar. He loved going to church and participating in church activities such as Sunday School, Junior Usher, Male Choir, Adult Usher and Mass Choir. He had an ardent love for his parents, being close to his dad, singing alongside of him in the Male Choir, belting out his baritone voice. In 2004, Samson started attending Redeeming Grace Church in Newark, Delaware, under the pastorate of Apostle Marian Rudd. In his later years, he continued his fellowship at his home church, First Pentecostal Holy Church of Chester, PA, under the pastorates of the late Beloved Bishop Samuel W. Ellis and successively, Beloved Pastor, Elder Vernadine Ellis. In August 1978, Samson was united in holy matrimony to Pamela Collette Evans, from which union came his first-born, Samson Douglas Evans on January 11, 1980. He later married Verna Yvette Simmons Evans on February 16, 1991, who gave birth to his second son, Elliott Andre Evans on January 5, 1992. Samson was a loving husband and family man, who was extremely attentive to the needs of his biological parents, sons and mothers-in-law. He had a very warm, compassionate and giving heart. Sam was very fond of music. Although he never received formal piano lessons, he was able to play chords by ear, as he listened to his siblings practice on the piano at home. He, along with his two friends, formed a neighborhood band called, the “Andrew Groove Holmes Trio”, featuring his “homeboys”, Truitt Gillette, Richard Holmes, and himself---all from Chester. They loved crooning and playing in varied community functions with other entertainers. Sam would pride himself on playing like Ray Charles on the keyboard. As a natural singer, he’d always break out in spontaneous song--- one being his favorite, entitled, “Sold Out”, by Hezekiah Walker, while walking down the street with his friends. This song was a testament to Samson’s life when he was delivered from alcoholism over thirty years ago. His cousin, Yolanda Alicia Anderson, lovingly, but emphatically, spoke to him about his need to stop drinking. At that very moment, Samson was delivered and had never taken another drink for the rest of his life. He was forever transformed. God, subsequently, used him to speak at Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, including the City Team Center in Chester, consistently encouraging and supporting others in their struggles with alcoholism and addictions. He was truly, “sold out” when he rededicated his life to the Lord, having a made-up mind to serve the Lord with his whole heart and joyful spirit. Samson had an ardent love for life and made everyone laugh, with his infectious smile and a twinkle in his eyes that everyone adored. He loved to greet his family and friends with “corny” rhymes or expressions like, “Cool as a cucumber!” Yes, Sam, indeed, was the man whom everyone loved—a man with a great big heart, who loved God. His memory will always be in our hearts and make us perpetually smile. Sam the Man---a man with a great big heart----a beloved brother and friend, a beautiful soul and a born-again child of God! Samson was preceded in death by his father, Deacon Morton Watson Evans; mother, Missionary Fannie Euvenia West Evans; stepmother, Ida Ambrose Tyler Evans; two infant twin sisters, Fannie and Nannie Evans; one brother, Franklin Delano Evans; one sister, Shirley Lelia Evans Johnson (Douglas); and his best friend Olaf W. Elam, Sr. He leaves to cherish his memories and celebrate his legacy, his loving family: His two sons, Samson Douglas Evans, Chester, PA and Elliott Andre Evans, New Castle, DE; one brother, Raymond Evans (Algloria), Philadelphia, PA; two sisters, Rev. Mary Evans Anderson (William), Newark, DE and Elder Ernestine Evans Colder, Chester, PA; three stepsiblings, David, Kevin and Beverly Tyler of Chester, PA; two aunts, Alice Evans Hines, Farmville, VA and Mattie Evans West, Orange, NJ; one brother-in-law, Douglas H. Johnson, North Providence, RI; one sister-in-law, Vivian Clarke, GA; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. ___________________________________________________________________ “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.” --Charles Studd

Samson Evans

June 16, 1950 - June 18, 2022