Daniel James Evans

Our beloved Daniel James Evans entered heaven’s gates to be with the Lord and his older brother, Steven, on August 15, 2026. Daniel is survived by his mother, Denise Hill, father John Evans, stepmother Connie Evans, and Grandfather Monte Hill. His siblings with whom he shared a strong bond are Mindy Erickson and her husband John, Dustin Evans and his wife Kelly. His nieces that he loved beyond words, Shaelynn, Emilie and Hannah. Uncle Jim and Aunt Lory Hill, first cousins Kenny and Cherie Hill along with many cousins, and extended family and friends. Daniel was preceded in death by grandparents Apfinia Hill, Everett and Pearl Evans, and his beloved brother Steven Evans, whom we are still grieving and missing dearly. Daniel grew up in San Diego and North Carolina. He loved spending time at the beach and visiting California during the years he lived in North Carolina. As a child, he enjoyed playing in the woods, helping his dad build a treehouse, riding the go-kart, jumping on the gigantic trampoline, climbing trees and sledding. These simple adventures and experiences became cherished memories that he carried with him throughout his life. Daniel loved music. He loved listening to it, singing, writing his own songs and lyrics, and playing guitar. He wrote so many songs and poems throughout his life, filling notebooks with his thoughts, words, and ideas. Music was not simply something Daniel enjoyed,—it was one of the ways he expressed himself, shared his creativity, and connected with others. Daniel had the best sense of humor and an unforgettable laugh. Daniel and his siblings had a love for movies. They shared a language of movie quotes and inside jokes that only they could understand. Daniel created his own board game of movie quotes that he called “The Game of Us”. We shared so many laughs of this simple game that only Daniel and his siblings and niece Shaelynn understood and loved. Those little moments of laughter became memories that will be cherished forever. Family meant everything to Daniel! He loved his family with his whole heart and wanted to do right by the people he cared about. He was a loving uncle to his three nieces and a proud godfather to his niece Emilie. His nieces were the light of his life and in everything he did, he thought of them. He cherished going to church every Sunday at the Mission de Alcala with his mom and enjoying an afternoon with his mom, grandpa and our family’s beloved dogs, Wishy and Dexter. Daniel honored family, made time for the people he loved, and was always willing to help when someone needed him. Daniel was considerate of others and a great listener. One of his greatest joys other than being an uncle was spending time with his siblings, parents and his grandpa. He would have tears in his eyes listening to his grandpa play the violin. His life revolved around being of service to others. He loved to help make his grandpa comfortable, always searching for anything that would help him. He did many house projects with his mom, with a smile on his face, embracing their time together. Whether something needed to be built, repaired, put together, or figured out, Daniel was always the person people knew they could ask. He appreciated the simple things that made life meaningful—spending time together, sharing a laugh, listening to music, playing a song, watching a movie, or simply being around the people who meant the most to him. When Daniel had his family around him, he was happy. He was humble, courageous, a man of faith, and someone who wanted to be the best person he could be. He was kind, talented, and authentic. One of the things that illustrated Daniel's love for his family was the time he was willing to give them. Whenever family from out of town came to visit, Daniel would often take considerable time away from work and rearrange his schedule so that he could spend as much time with them as possible. He would make himself available, spend time together, and make the most of their visit. For Daniel, being together mattered more than anything else on his schedule. Daniel was loved by so many people, and his life touched more people than he probably ever realized. His kindness, humility, courage, faith, humor, love of music, creativity, friendships, and devotion to his family created countless memories that will remain forever with those who knew him. We are grateful for those memories, and especially grateful that so many of them were captured in photographs and videos. Through those images, his smile, his laughter, his personality, his music, and the moments he shared with the people he loved will continue forever. In that way, Daniel will always remain with us. Daniel will be deeply missed, but he will never be forgotten. His music, his sense of humor, his kindness, and the moments he shared live on. He will always be loved, always be remembered, and forever be a part of our lives. Our dearest Daniel will be missed by his parents, grandpa, siblings, nieces and extended family and friends. Thank you, Jesus, for the gift of someone who was in his own words “God’s humble servant”. We love you, our Danny.

Daniel James Evans

February 10, 1983 - August 15, 2026