Lila Evins

Lila Ann O’Rourke Evins passed from this earth to her home in heaven January 11, 2021. She was born April 19, 1929 in Grafton, Ohio, to James and Vera O'Rourke and was the second youngest of five children. Her family moved to Corsicana, Texas, when Lila was a wee one, finally settling in Edinburg, Texas, when she was a teen. While quite soft-spoken, Lila was no stranger to laughter (or a little mischief here and there). She could often be found giggling and gabbing with "the girls" throughout her lifetime — be it with her mother (whom she loved oh-so-much), gal pals from school, sisters, daughters or granddaughters. She loved spending time with all her family, but her time with "the girls" while shopping and enjoying some time at the salon was particularly special to her. And it was guaranteed that no matter the events of the day, there would be a funny story to tell after spending time with Lila. Lila was a great source for stories and loved to tell stories from her life, usually entailing something really funny or serendipitous. One of Lila's favorite stories to tell was when she skipped school with a girlfriend to get a hamburger for a nickel. While out and about, she feared of getting into trouble with her mom for "playing hooky" so she walked into a nearby business to "get a job application" but actually landed herself an after-school job as a telephone operator at Southwestern Bell. Unbeknownst to Lila at the time, this day of mischief would lead to the job that would carry her family through financially for years to come. Lila was a phenomenal cook, an excellent seamstress and an avid reader. But there was nothing that she loved more than to be around the love of her life and husband of 72 years, the Honorable Judge Joe B. Evins. Joe spotted Lila at Cascade Pool in McAllen after returning from Europe in WWII, and he "chased" her until she gave in. Lila would often say about that day, “He chased me until I caught him!” They married on August 1, 1947 and once he got her, he never let her go. Lila's devotion to Joe grew into her wholehearted devotion to a continuously growing family. In the beginning, she spent her days taking care of their first-born JoAnne and tirelessly working nights as a telephone operator until Joe finished Law School at the University of Texas. As her family grew, so did Joe's career, eventually landing himself the position as first District Judge of the 206th precinct. She stayed by his side, attending events, meeting everyone under the sun and enjoying the successes they had built together. They were a team, especially when times got really tough (and indeed, they did). Lila and Joe overcame some really tough circumstances together — in particular, the unexpected death of their only son and youngest child, Joe B. Evins, Jr. But no matter how hopeless things seemed at times, Joe and Lila managed to carry each other (and their family) through. They remained hopelessly devoted to each other for the next 72 years until he passed away on January 14, 2020. Lila was an incredible person to be around and just like her outgoing husband Joe, she also made friends wherever she went. She was also a wonderful second mama to many of her children’s friends, welcoming them into her home with true love and kindness. She was a feisty Irish lass (nicknamed "Irish" by those who knew her well) but balanced it with modesty, generosity and grace. She never really knew just how beautiful she was, no matter how many times she was told. She was a very loving mother to two daughters, JoAnne Reddell (Larry) and Linda Mappin (Tim), and one son, Joe Jr. ("Bubba") . She was a selfless and doting grandmother ("Yaya") to her six grandchildren, Eryn Wingert (Stephan), Layne Maganda (Carlos), Devin Lee (Mike), Colton Chapman (Sarah), Kevin Chapman, Siobhan Palmquist (Neil) and many great-grandchildren. The main things that ever mattered to Lila was her faith (often sending prayer requests for those in need) and her family- especially her children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces and nephews and extended family who knew she loved them and that she would always be there for them. She was generous, affectionate and remained completely devoted to her family to the very end. Lila lived a full 91 years and is preceded in death by her husband, Joe and son Joe Jr., her parents, 4 siblings, and many loved relatives and friends. Graveside services will be held at 1:00 PM on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at Hillcrest Memorial Park in Edinburg, Texas. The service will be officiated by Father Art Hadley.