Remembering Jim Evans, of Quincy: 'One of a kind' who fought two cancers at the same time

QUINCY − For the past two years, Jim Evans continually amazed himself, his family and his friends with how hard he fought back against two aggressive cancers that he called "the monsters."

His treatments for esophageal and stomach cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute were grueling. At the end he added four more chemotherapy sessions, hoping that would be a "death blow − a full-court press to the monsters."

Then, for 14 months, he was back in gear, building himself up until, with stunning speed, the cancer returned and took his life within weeks. Evans died at age 68 on Feb. 1, peacefully, in his sleep. The day before, his family had all been with him.

This past week, stories of his courage, loyalty, knack for bringing people together and his caring, loving and sometimes mischievous nature have been shared in many places.

Last June, when his cancer was in remission, Evans inspired many when he spoke openly about what he had been through.

"I was challenged to the max," he said. "My whole belief system was tested" by months of unforgiving treatment.

'When you're knocked down, you've got to get up'

He had endured 28 radiation and 10 chemotherapy sessions, two surgeries and four months on a feeding tube.

"I've been taught that when you get knocked down, you've got to get up, never give up and do your best," he said, explaining his drive and stamina.

During six months of treatment, he said, the support of his family, neighbors, friends and former classmates at Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree had been "huge." He felt as if he "had dodged a bomb" and was "blessed and humbled to have survived."

In August, he volunteered to hand out water to the riders in the annual Pan-Mass Challenge, part of the Living Proof team. He also pushed himself to do regular workouts at the South Shore YMCA under the Y's Stay Strong support program for cancer survivors and families. His goal: to get back physically to where he was before the cancer.

In August, he showed up for a Quincy Environmental Treasures walk with Mayor Tom Koch and said he was doing well.

Then in November, he began to feel unwell, with new symptoms.

He told friends that he would have more tests done and would keep fighting the cancer with more treatments. The test results that came back, however, prompted more discussions with his doctors and the decision that further treatment would only inflict more suffering.

A caring, passionate gentleman

The man his friends call "one of a kind" and "a caring, passionate gentleman" received comfort care at Hancock Park Nursing Center in Quincy for three nights. He had a chance to say goodbye to his family and sent word to his former classmates and friends that he was at peace.

"He was a loving, caring man who cared about his family, neighbors and friends," said Frank Santoro, his neighbor for 30 years in the Beechwood Knoll section of Wollaston. "I will miss his friendship and his company."

The two Quincy natives especially liked talking about sports. Evans played football for the North Quincy Apaches and Archbishop Williams High School; basketball for St. Ann’s School in Wollaston and Archbishop Williams; and daylong basketball with friends at the “Mount,” the courts in Merrymount Park.

Steve Mele, 68, of East Sandwich, was in the same classes with Evans from first grade up through high school graduation in 1973 at Archbishop Williams.

"There was a whole group of us and we were like brothers," Mele said. "We played basketball all day and night. Jim was a very, very good basketball player." They both later played semi-pro basketball in the Cranberry League.

Linda Santoro, Frank's wife, spoke with Evans two weeks before he died without realizing his cancer had returned. He loved dogs and stopped by to see how theirs was doing.

"Jim was very kind, very giving and he loved to talk," she said. "He fought the good fight, he gave it his all, and he had been so optimistic that he could get his strength back. We're all very sad.

"Cancer is just a dreadful disease. We all felt he fought it with such dignity."

Neighbors who could nurse and cook for him

One of the many neighbors who reached out to Evans was Joan Smith, a retired nurse at Milton Hospital, who lives across the street. Smith was able to answer his medical questions as he went through treatment and she and other neighbors cooked for him. At critical times, at his family's request, she went over to check his condition and assess how he was doing.

Evans' obituary describes his other talents and interests: "an avid outdoorsman who had many passions including sports, travel to US National Parks and Ireland, hiking, Irish music, Westerns and TV shows from the 60s and family pizza parties. And he loved being an uncle and a great-uncle." He attended countless basketball games with his brother Bob and Bob's son and was at their house daily.

Both Evans and his cousin, Anne Evans McMenamy, of Cohasset, were proud members of the Archbishop Williams Class of 1973. The class celebrated its 50th reunion last September.

"Jimmy was especially effective in getting classmates together for reunions," McMenamy said. "Jimmy was also a great family man, so dedicated to his parents, his sisters and brother, nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. Jimmy was all about family."

Earlier, cancer had claimed the life of one of Evans' closest friend, his college classmate Mike Wilson, who died at age 55 of colon cancer. In 2009, Evans rode 100 miles in a Maine fundraiser to honor Wilson's memory. In the fall of 2023, Evans learned that Wilson's wife, Debra, had also died of cancer.

One of Evans' many roles was as historian and reunion photographer for his Archbishop Williams class.

Many stories will be told and many photographs shared this weekend.

Visiting hours are Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock St., Quincy. A celebration of life service will be held there at 9:30 a.m. Monday before the funeral Mass in St. Ann’s Church, Quincy, at 10:30 a.m.

His sisters Maureen and Patricia thanked everyone for their support over these many months.

"People have said, 'It must be so hard for you,'" Maureen Schnur, of Framingham, a nurse, said. "We say that if you have to go through cancer, Jimmy was the one to go through it with. He would say he was lucky and he made it as easy as it could be."

Despite some really tough times in his final two months, his other sister, Patricia Wolongevicz, of Hanover, said, "Jimmy was very strong and because of his strength, it has helped us to accept it. Of course we are very saddened but we know he is in a better place."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Jim Evans, of Quincy, dies at 68 after fighting two cancers