John Fred Evatt, Jr. Age 88 of Greenwood, Arkansas died July 12, 2022. He was born June 27, 1934, the eldest child of John Fred and Clara Hawthorne Evatt in Waldron, Arkansas.
He was preceded in death by his mother, father and first wife Bobbye Brown Evatt.
John Fred was a seventh generation Arkansan, descended from George Washington Sorrells, who arrived in Clark County around 1820, and Mary Sorrells Doyel, who was born in Abbott Arkansas in 1828 prior to statehood.
John Fred’s career included his education at Arkansas University, Oklahoma University and Central State University. His early occupation was as a Petroleum Reservoir Engineer in the oil fields of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. With the arrival of his sons, he returned to Scott County, where he taught at Waldron High School, raised beef cattle and served a term as Scott County Judge.
John Fred retired from Pine Bluff Arsenal where he served as training officer for hazardous materials, Control Center Chief and Chief of Defensive Chemical Protective Equipment, manufacturing, and rebuild.
It is obvious that John was a hard worker, he always did what was necessary to take care of his family, but there was more to this man.
He cared for the people around him. He became a generous supporter of the River Valley Food Bank. He loved to garden and gave most of his produce away to his neighbors because he always grew more than he could use. It was a game for him.
John Fred was a lifelong Baptist. He is survived by his current wife, Naomi Ann Muncy Hodson Evatt, sons, Joe Nathan Evatt of Greenwood, Arkansas, John Randall Evatt of Amarillo, Texas, nine grandchildren, twelve great great grandchildren of Conway Arkansas, many cousins a nephew, Robert Evatt of Tulsa Oklahoma and best friend, Gaylon Taylor of Waldron Arkansas.
He will be cremated for internment at Duncan Cemetery in Waldron where there will be a memorial service held, to be announced at a later date. Arrangements are being handled by Heritage Memorial Funeral Home.
