Story and phtoos by Alaina Clarke
alaina@jcnews.com
The Evans family had their 50th family reunion recently, taking the reunion to the Evans Family Memorial Park Aug. 7 to honor and remember all their family members who have passed away.
Carol Pounds, the president of the Evans family reunion, said she’s from Jones County, growing up in the area. She said it’s a nice place to grow up and call home, and she was happy to see so much of her family gathered at the memorial park.
“This is the 50th Evans family reunion. We have a memorial park where we come to honor and give remembrance to all our deceased family members,” she said. “We buy bricks that go out in the park in remembrance of them, and every year we come back to honor them. We recognize all the family members who have passed away in the past 50 years.”
Delores Roberts, former president of the Evans family reunion, said she’s originally from Jones County. She said most of the family is from right in the area. She said it’s always been a nice community.
Roberts said they encourage family members to buy a brick for their deceased loved one, so that the memorial park will be filled up with all the members who are descendants of the 12 children of Marth and Monroe Evans.
“We light candles in remembrance also, and the two candles in the center represent Martha and Monroe, then the others represent their 12 children. They also represent anyone who has been deceased during the year, making it a memorial candle holder,” she said.
Pounds said where the memorial park is in Jones County is where a majority of the family members grew up. She said the memorial park used to be an old school on Altman Road, where a few of the family members actually went to school for a bit.
“Our ancestors instill in us the value of family, the commitment of being together and loving each other,” she said. “That’s why this is so important. Family is everything to us.”
Pounds said Martha and Monroe moved to Jones County at some point, becoming the start of the entire large family that’s from Jones County. She said they are laid to rest in Haddock.
Roberts said they started having the reunions in 1972, so the families could get together and celebrate. She said in 1999 the park was dedicated, inspiring all of those who are a part of the Evans family to remember where they came from.
Pounds said for the family reunion they celebrated over several days, starting off at the recreation center in Macon called The Hope Community Center. They had fun and held a banquet where they gave away scholarships. After that she said they went to a worship service, followed by giving honor to the family at the memorial park.
“It’s a beautiful thing knowing this family started with these two people and their commitment to each other,” the president said. “With the love they had, they had 12 children they raised and nurtured. That means a lot. It took a village to raise us, and this has turned out to be a beautiful family.”
