CHARLES BAISDEN "CHOP" EVANS JR.

FORT VALLEY – Charles Baisden “Chop” Evans, Jr., 73, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Chop was a true friend and selfless mentor to many—an exceptionally hardworking pecan farmer and businessman, an astute judge of character, a captivating teller of stories both funny and poignant, and the soul of any party at which he happened to find himself. Indeed, many a sober gathering was transformed into a party through his animated presence and vivid narrations. His exuberant, boundless energy and self-deprecating humor were legendary among those who knew him. In a recent conversation with one of his nieces about farm vehicles—a subject on which he held quite passionate opinions—he remarked that investing in high-tech tractors and other agricultural equipment had been “the second-worst mistake of my life. After being a farmer.” Yet Chop was a brilliant farmer as well as a far-seeing and canny investor. He attended Woodward Academy as a youth, where he so excelled at athletics that—as he recounted it, anyway—the school was obliged to graduate him and send him forth to the University of Georgia despite certain academic failings. (These failings remain unverified by a third party.) He was devoted to his family—among them his father, about whom he recently said, “He was my best friend”—and his children and beloved wife of twenty-seven years, Brenda. A man with a strong sense of personal duty and integrity, Chop was deeply called to do right not only by his loved ones but by those who lived beyond his hearth, from workers on the farm to members of the community. At his core Chop was turned toward other people—warm, gregarious, sharp as a tack, deceptively humble, openhearted, and kind. His memory is a blessing. A celebration of his vibrant life will be held on Wednesday, November 27, at 3:00 p.m. at his home at 1531 Evans Road, with a reception afterward to continue the celebration. All who wish to attend are welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial contributions to Fort Valley Methodist Church, 301 West Church Street, Fort Valley, GA 31030. Chop was preceded in death by his parents, Charles B. and Sarah Hooten Evans, and his brother-in-law, Nicholas B. Millet. Left to cherish their time with Chop are his wife, Brenda Greer Evans of Fort Valley; his children, Charlie Evans (Caitlin) of Perry, Elizabeth Evans Holton (Charles) of Albany, Lee Evans (Katie), Alva Davis (Amy), and Katie Davis, all of Perry; his sister, Saralaine Millet of Tucson, Arizona; eleven grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and his faithful dog Sammy. Condolences for the family may be left in the online guestbook at www.watsonhunt.com. Watson-Hunt Funeral Home of Perry has been entrusted with the arrangements.

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CHARLES BAISDEN "CHOP" EVANS JR.

April 7, 1951 - November 6, 2024