62
DECEASED
Side Academy in Pittsburgh, before arriv-
ing at St. Paul’s as a Third Former in the
fall of 1953.
Reverend Evans was a quiet and studi-
ous member of the St. Paul’s community.
He served as a supervisor in the Old
Upper and was a member of the Cadmean
Literary Society, the Art Association, Glee
Club, Dramatic Society, and the
Horae
Scholasticae
Board. He enjoyed running
cross country and track for the School.
He excelled in Spanish language and served
as president of La Junta, the Spanish
society. In his SPS tenure, he received
three Dickey Prizes in Spanish and the
Ambassador Duke Spanish Prize at his
1957 graduation.
Inspired by daily Chapel services at
SPS, Reverend Evans went on to Harvard,
graduating with the Class of 1961, before
earning his M.A. in theology from Oxford
University in 1963. He earned his master
of divinity from Pittsburgh Seminary. His
choice to live a life of service as a clergy-
man defined the rest of his career.
As a pastor for a church in inner-city
Philadelphia, Reverend Evans served
congregations fluent in Spanish and
English. He went on to work at a church
in central Pennsylvania and to serve as
a teacher and librarian at Manna Bible
Institute in Philadelphia. His dedication
to spreading the word of Jesus extended
to community service work in Juarez,
Mexico, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
His involvement in the men’s movement,
Promise Keepers, helped bring men into
his faith.
In 1969, Reverend Evans married Vern-
elle “Nell” Peterson of North Carolina.
Together the couple practiced their faith,
helped those in need, and enjoyed Spanish
culture. They raised two children, Faith
Elizabeth (1973) and John Paul (1975).
Reverend Evans was a loving father and a
great encourager to his wife and children.
After retirement, Reverend Evans vol-
unteered with Bethany Christian Services
and the Tenth Presbyterian Church. He
served as pastoral associate for Mission
to the World and taught bible study in
Spanish at the Federal Detention Center
in Philadelphia. Reverend Evans held
St. Paul’s in high regard and gave to the
School regularly after his graduation.
Reverend Evans leaves behind his wife
of 46 years, Vernelle “Nell” Evans; his
daughter, Faith Evans-Sills, and her
husband, Francis; his son, Dr. John Paul
Evans, and his wife, Louisa; his sister,
Margaret Evans Tuten; his brother, David
Courtney Evans ’63; and six grandchildren.
1959
Samuel Bard Johnson
whose life was
devoted to
service, solving
problems, and
Latin America,
died on September
3, 2015, in Santa
Fe, N.M. He was
74 years old and
had suffered from
Alzheimer’s disease.
Born on May 7, 1941, Mr. Johnson was
one of three sons of Stephen and Marion
Johnson. He grew up in Worcester, Mass.,
and attended the Bancroft School. Mr.
Johnson entered St. Paul’s School in the
fall of 1955. He played squash, soccer, and
tennis for Old Hundred and was a member
of Shattuck. He was active in the Glee
Club and other School musical groups,
including the orchestra. He was also a
member of the Spanish club, La Junta.
Mr. Johnson earned a B.A. in Spanish
from Middlebury College. He spent his
junior year abroad at the University of
Madrid. He earned a master’s in Latin
American studies from Indiana Univer-
sity in 1969 and also served in the Peace
Corps in Colombia.
While at Middlebury, Mr. Johnson met
Ann Hotchkiss, and the two were married
on March 29, 1969. Together they raised
two children, Peter, born in Guatemala in
1972, and Sylvia, born in Bolivia in 1978.
Professionally, Mr. Johnson led a rich
life in service to others. From 1970 to 1977,
he worked for the Agency of Development
and Community Affairs in Montpelier, Vt.
He then spent the next 12 years, through
1989, working for Plan International
throughout Latin America. The job took
him to Bolivia, El Salvador, Guatemala,
and Ecuador.
Finally, both he and his wife worked
as certified court interpreters for Sierra
Translation Services in Colorado, a firm
he started. They maintained a home in
Carbondale, Colo., where he was a volun-
teer with the Red Cross.
In a questionnaire filled out for the
School in 2003, Mr. Johnson pointed to his
experience at St. Paul’s as contributing to
his interest in work that made use of his
knowledge of the Spanish language. “A
solid education and meaningful activities
helped to prepare me for college and life,”
he wrote. “Four years of Spanish with
Sr. Rubio was probably the most impor-
tant impact.”
Mr. Johnson was admired by his family
and friends for his integrity, his love of
adventure and all things wild, his loyalty,
social conscience, and his ability to find
creative solutions to problems.
Mr. Johnson is survived by his wife,
Ann, and his children, Peter and Sylvia.
1962
John Russell Whitman
an investment banker and the husband of
former New Jersey governor Christine
Todd Whitman, died on July 2, 2015, at
Morristown Medical Center in Morristown,
N.J. Mr. Whitman died from complications
of a catastrophic brain injury suffered in
a June 19 fall. He was 71 years old.
Born in Albany, N.Y., on June 8, 1944,
Mr. Whitman was the son of Charles
Whitman Jr. of the Form of 1933 and Janet
Russell Whitman. His grandfather was
former New York governor Charles Whit-
man Sr. He entered St. Paul’s School as a
Third Former in the fall of 1958, following
his brother, Charles “Sandy” Whitman III
’60, to the School. Mr. Whitman grew up
in New York City, attending The Buckley
School prior to his arrival at SPS, where
