Worth Co. WWII veteran and community icon dies at 100 years old

SYLVESTER, Ga. – A Worth county church is mourning the loss of their deacon. We got a chance to speak with the family about the impact that Deacon Forster L. Evans, Sr. has left behind.

We met with a few members of the deacon’s family Friday, including his son, Forster Jr., and his granddaughter, Vicki Johnson.

And… while Deacon Forster Sr. Certainly had a large family…

He was viewed as a father figure by so many more.

“When it comes to my father, the slogan would be ‘I wanna be a son of dad’s’ everybody called him dad. I don’t care how long they knew him, he was just a father figure to everyone,” said Forster Evans Jr., Asst. Pastor, First African Baptist Church.

Forster Sr. spent nearly 80 years of his life in Sylvester, trying to enact change at every point in his life.

As his family tells us, from him simply talking to local children, to working as part of the Civil Rights Movement, and even into his later years, he always wanted to help those in need.

“He would be the one taking other seniors, if they needed to go to the bank, if they needed to go to a doctor’s appointment, or the grocery store. Whatever it was that someone else was in need of, he was always willing to do it, free of charge…” said Vicki Johnson, granddaughter.

Deacon Evans Sr. played such a major role in the community as a leader…

Despite never holding a public office.

“He was not a politician himself, but he was very instrumental in getting other people into politics. And, so, the political leaders who are now in place today, stand on his shoulders,” said Evans Jr.

But… regardless of the impact he’s had in Worth county, he will be dearly missed by so many.

“We are saddened because he’s gone. And, he would always say; he had so many favorite sayings, but he would always say ‘tell everyone who knows me, hello’ and so one of the things I’m really going to miss is his most favorite saying. And, I had just spoken to him two days before his passing, and the last thing he said is, ‘when you come to see me, I’m looking forward to seeing you,'” said Johnson.

While Forster Evans Senior isn’t here anymore, his legacy and his message is carried on by his family through blood and faith.

Deacon Evans Sr. is survived by his six children, 37 grandchildren, 82 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

Brian Roche reporting.

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