Bernard Burgess Evans February 22, 1928 – February 14, 2019 Share this obituary Sign Guestbook| View Guest Book Entries Bernard Burgess Evans of Charlottesville passed away Thursday, February 14, 2019, a week shy of his 91st birthday. He was known as Buddy to all his friends. Born in Staunton, Virginia, he moved to Charlottesville at an early age with his family and remained a resident for the rest of his life.
Sharing a birthday with George Washington, honesty was a matter of sacred pride to Buddy and the only time he was ever known to have misrepresented the truth was when he lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Army at the age of 17 to serve his country during World War II. He wrote down “18” on his enlistment form and went to war, serving in the Pacific Theater. Buddy served in the U.S. Army, Company A 3 Engineer Combat Battalion, attaining the rank of corporal.
He was awarded the World War II Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal, Japan. A graduate of Lane High School, following the war and his honorable discharge Buddy enrolled at the University of Virginia on the G.I. Bill. He graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from the School of Architecture.
For more than 10 years he was the owner and manager of Bud’s Varsity House, a popular restaurant on the UVA Corner frequented by students, faculty and townsfolk. It was here that he cultivated a love of cooking. He met Grace Eulelia Robertson, originally of Appomattox, in 1955 in Charlottesville, where she was a licensed nurse at the University of Virginia Medical Center.
They quickly became inseparable, marrying in 1960. She was the love of his life and he cherished her like no one else alive. Buddy also loved the University of Virginia.
He was a devout fan of UVA sports. Buddy was a season ticket holder to UVA football and basketball games for 50 years. He gave generously and often to his alma mater.
Rare was the day he could not be seen wearing orange & blue, with a V and crossed sabres embroidered on his clothes. His travels in life took him to England, France, Japan, the Philippines, and Mexico, and throughout the United States. Possessed of a fierce intellect, Buddy was well-read and had a prodigious vocabulary at his disposal.
He instilled in his children a love of literature, sports, film and music. Buddy’s favorite movie was The Four Feathers (1939), a tale of courage. He loved jazz and classical music.
Buddy also played the trombone and clarinet. He was preceded in death by his parents, Vernie Evans of Charlottesville, and Wayt Evans of Harrisonburg; sisters, Helen Berman and Audrey Detamore, and their husbands, Joe Berman of Levittown, New York and Bob Detamore of Houston, Texas. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Grace Eulelia Evans; three children, Stephen, David, and Sheila, and her husband, Trip Gray; six adored grandchildren, Darya, Sanders, Sophia, Annabelle, Stephen Jr., and Edison; as well as 12 nieces and nephews.
A memorial service honoring the life of Buddy Evans will be held at Hill & Wood Funeral Home, 201 1st St N, in Charlottesville on Thursday, February 21, 2019, at 3 p.m. The family wishes to extend sincere appreciation to The Laurels of Charlottesville, where the compassionate and caring staff ensured Buddy was comfortable during the final years of his life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the University of Virginia Student Aid Foundation. Contributions may be made out to VAF and mailed to Virginia Athletics Foundation, P.O. Box 400833, Charlottesville, VA 22904.
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