Willa Mae Evans, age 96, died peacefully on November 18, 2017 at Manor Care of Marietta, Georgia. Born Willimae Dumas on June 5, 1921 in Napoleonville, Louisiana, she was the daughter of Preston and Edna (Heim) Dumas. Willa enjoyed growing up in Louisiana with her three sisters and parents and was known to be a fun-loving, considerate young woman with many friends. She graduated from Grambling College (now Grambling State University); and was a teacher until her move to Massillon, Ohio in 1947 when she married Louie E. Evans. She and Louie were married for 52 years until his death in 1999. Willa dedicated her life to being a wife and a stay-at-home mom raising their three daughters: Beverly (Stephen) Smith of Marietta, Georgia, Joan Evans of Akron, Ohio, and Michele Evans of Reno, Nevada, all of whom she was very proud. She was an avid reader and loved to write letters. It was said that she kept her family of sisters' families, cousins and friends connected with her letter writing and family news. She had a great sense of humor and loved time in the summer with her two grandchildren, Brian Smith and Stacy (Smith) Frazier. Willa was a member of St. Barbara's Catholic Church in Massillon. She is proceeded in death by her parents; and two of her sisters, Matiel Verdun and Joan Spaulding.

Willa is survived by her sister, Vervon Williams of Los Angeles, California; her three daughters (named above); one son-in-law, Stephen Smith; two grandchildren, Brian (Rashan) Smith and Stacy (Dr. Jason) Frazier; in addition to five great-grandchildren: Bailey and Carter Smith and Mason, Carson and Zoey Frazier; as well as a number of nieces and nephews.

There will be a private memorial service for family members to be held in Massillon at St. Barbara's Catholic Church at a later date with a burial at Brookfield Cemetery. Memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association at: https://alz.org