Stephanie Evans

Stephanie J. Evans, age 36, passed away at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, Texas on February 18, 2018. Steph was born on November 28, 1981, in Toledo, Ohio. She graduated from Ottawa Hills High School in 2000 where she played field hockey, basketball, and ran track and cross-country. During her high school years, Steph developed a special interest in English and creative writing. She went on to study at The Ohio State University before enlisting full time in the United States Army Reserves. She completed her basic training at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. Steph enjoyed a 10-year career in the military, rising to the rank of Sergeant, including a 1-year volunteer deployment to Kuwait during the Iraq War. An avid traveler and road tripper, Steph traveled the United States extensively, visiting 38 states and living and working in areas including Astoria, New York; Victor, Idaho; Jackson Hole, Wyoming; San Francisco, California; Valdez, Alaska; Toledo, Ohio; and Houston, Texas. Her international travels included trips to Montreal, Mexico City, London, and Paris. When Steph lived in Alaska, she attended Prince William Sound Community College where she majored in playwriting, twice participating in the annual Last Frontier Theatre Conference. In 2010, Steph returned to Toledo, Ohio where she completed her Associates degree in Business & Paralegal Studies from Stautzenberger College. Steph loved the outdoors, ocean, mountains, and especially hiking with her beloved dog, Button. Some of her favorite sites included Zion National Park, Baker Beach, Venice Beach, Port Valdez, and Moab Valley. Steph will always be remembered for her kindness and strength, love, sense of humor, work ethic, and adventurous, freedom loving nature. Steph is survived by her older sister, Debby. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dave and Sherry Evans. A Celebration of Steph's life is planned for Saturday, April 7, 2018 in Steph's hometown of Toledo, Ohio. An announcement with the details of the time and venue will be made in The Toledo Blade.