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 </figure>Elizabeth Beard Evans, 96, passed away March 27, 2021, at River Bend 
Assisted Living in Great Bend. She was born in Casper, Wyoming, on 
September 27, 1924, to Robert Edmund and Mildred Florence (Rugen) Beard.In 1938, she moved from Casper to what was then the intercity between
 Kansas City and Independence, Missouri (now part of Independence), and 
in 1942, graduated from Northeast High School in Kansas City, Missouri. 
In 1946, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in 
chemistry and also did graduate work in bacteriology at KU. After 
college, she had several jobs in the pharmaceutical and health fields.On June 3, 1950, Elizabeth married William Raymond Evans in 
Independence, Missouri. They lived in Kansas City, Kansas, before moving
 with their first two children, in 1953, to Honolulu, Territory of 
Hawaii, where Bill did his internship at Tripler Army Hospital. In 1954,
 the family moved to Hoisington and, in 1958, to Bill’s hometown of 
Great Bend.Traveling extensively on road trips with her family, Elizabeth 
visited 49 states (all but Alaska) as well as eight Canadian provinces. 
During childhood, she went with her parents and sister, Virginia, 
numerous times by train and car to visit her parents’ families in 
Massachusetts and Virginia and to various places in the West. When she 
was 14 years old, Elizabeth climbed Gannett Peak, the highest point in 
Wyoming at 13,809 feet. As a mom, she planned annual summer vacations 
for her family to visit relatives, national parks, historical sites, 
amusement parks, and world’s fairs. One of her favorite vacation spots 
was the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado, which she visited 
with family more than two dozen times, starting in 1963. She documented 
vacations, holidays, and extended family gatherings with photos and 
movies that she faithfully organized and labeled.&nbsp;&nbsp;Elizabeth was a Girl Scout, a Girl Scout leader, and a Cub Scout den 
mother; a member of the Barton County Medical Auxiliary/Alliance for 
which she served many years as International Health Chairman; and a 
volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Central Kansas Medical Center Auxiliary, 
and American Red Cross bloodmobiles. She was a member of the First 
United Methodist Church in Great Bend.Survivors include her children, Patricia Davis, Independence, 
Missouri; William Evans, Jr. (Amy), Great Bend; Robert Evans (Clara), 
Newton; and Catherine Evans, Lawrence.She also is survived by eight grandchildren: Joel Morton (Julie), 
Virginia Beach, Virginia; Jessie Caliman (Roger), Independence, 
Missouri; Cody Davis (Cierra Floyd), Houston, Texas; Ryan Evans (Heidi),
 Chicago, Illinois; Zane Evans (Christin), Manhattan; Tiffany Maelzer 
(Marc), Holyoke, Colorado; Rebecca Hardtarfer (Scott), Goddard; and 
Sarah Hensiek (Matthew), Newton; and twenty-two great-grandchildren: 
Baylee, Brailyn, James, and Wesley Morton, Harvey Simmons, Hadley 
Caliman, Ariella Floyd, Roman Marshall, Eva Davis, Kaia and Sienna 
Vazquez, Skylar Evans, Chloe, Cassidy, and Cadence Evans, Kenzie and 
Emily Maelzer, Tyler and Aubrey Hardtarfer, and Logan, Callie, and 
Olivia Hensiek.She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. William R. Evans, Aug. 
5, 1999; sister, Virginia Marro; and son-in-law, Bill Davis.Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 
30, 2021, at Bryant Funeral Home, with family to receive friends from 
5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m., 
Wednesday, March 31, 2021, at Great Bend Cemetery, with Reverend Morita 
Truman presiding. Memorials are suggested to the First United Methodist 
Church in Great Bend or the Barton County Historical Society, in care of
 Bryant Funeral Home.