Alfred "Al" N. Evans Jr.

ALFRED NICHOLS EVANS, JUNIOR, 96, passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 12, 2025, surrounded by family, at 5:12 PM at the Lightways Hospice Home in Joliet. Al was born April 22, 1928, in Joliet, to Alfred Nichols Evans and Alfreda (Johanson) Evans. A lifelong resident, he attended Sheridan Elementary School and Farragut Junior High School and was a proud member of the Joliet Township High School Class of 1946 and later achieved an Associate’s Degree in Commerce as a member of the Joliet Junior College Class of 1958.

Al married his high school sweetheart, Teresa Joan Calcaterra (JTHS Class of 1947) on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1949, in the rectory of St. Anthony Catholic Church. They would have celebrated seventy-six years of wedded bliss this month. Al would have turned ninety-seven years of age on April 22. They resided in the Taft Elementary School neighborhood from1953, until December 2022, when they became residents at Willow Falls Assisted Living.

Alfred began a full-time employment career with Commonwealth Edison on Sep 20, 1948, as a Switchboard Operator at Station Nine in Joliet. He also achieved positions as a foreman and shift engineer there before accepting a position in the Load Control Center where he and others would compute how much of a demand the service area required for ComEd generating plants to produce, and if there were shortfalls in production would contract with other electric power companies connected on the grid to either purchase electricity if needed or sell excess electric production by ComEd to other markets. Following several years in Load Control, Al became Assistant Superintendent at the Will County Generating Station in Romeoville, coordinating various trades responsible for routine maintenance and installation of new equipment. When the first unit at Dresden Nuclear Power Station was under construction, Al also assisted in the installation of generating equipment.

Alfred also worked in a variety of other part-time positions: Alexander Lumber Company; Lewis Brothers Shoe Store; Johansen & Anderson Inc; and the Joliet Fyre Fighter Company. Following his retirement from ComEd on Sep 20, 1990, Al enjoyed working as a stagehand at the Rialto Square Theatre and was a proud member of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 124 in Joliet. He also was a member of the Rialto Square Theatre Volunteers.

In addition to his parents, Al was preceded in death by his step-mother Eleanore (Linder) Evans; brother and sister-in-law Ralph “Dale” and Virginia (Buell) Evans; sister and brother-in-law Letitia Kay (Evans) and Roger C. Allen; half-brother Thomas Linder Evans; step-sister Joan (Wood) (Pankow) Greenberg; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Louis and Christine (Shimek) Calcaterra; Floyd and Norma (McCluckie) Calcaterra; Joseph C. and Georgine M. (Calcaterra) Szawars; nephew Edward D. Evans, step-niece Susan Pankow, niece Joanne M. (Szawars) Peceniak; and daughter-in-law Linda C. (McCormick) Mackey Evans.

Al is survived by his beloved Teresa, sons Dale and David (Susie) Evans; two grandchildren: Heidi Carr (Anne Brinkman) and Scott (Dana) Evans; three great-grandsons: Grady Evans, Eli Evans and Cole Carr; step-brother Charles “Chuck” (Jenny) Wood; sister-in-law Betty (Henkel) Evans and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

Alfred was baptized and professed his faith in Christ on March 20, 1959, upon joining his church family at the Westminster Presbyterian Church of Joliet. He was ordained and installed as a Deacon January 10, 1960, and as an Elder January 14, 1962. He served on the Property and Stewardship Commissions and served for many years as the Financial Secretary.

Visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of service beginning at 11:30 AM on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1015 Winthrop Avenue, Joliet.

The Evans Family extends its grateful appreciation to the staffs at Willow Falls Assisted Living in Crest Hill, the St. Joseph Medical Center and the Lightways Hospice in Joliet. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Westminster Presbyterian Church, the Rialto Square Theatre Foundation in Joliet and/or another charity of your choice.

Blackburn-Giegerich-Sonntag Funeral Home, 1500 Black Road, Joliet, is in charge of arrangements. Internment of his ashes will take place at the Woodlawn Memorial Park in Joliet, at a later date.