1937 - 2024
Marlene Mae Evans was born in Perry, Oklahoma on June 19, 1937 to Robert and Emma Evans. She walked into the arms of Jesus the morning of January 14, 2024. Marlene was the middle child of a family of 5 girls. Robert was an oil tank painter in her early years, and the family moved around between Oklahoma and Texas before settling in Ponca City in 1943. Marlene had a quick wit and infectious laugh, which kept her sisters entertained and gained her many friends. She also was a talented artist and liked to draw and paint in her youth. Her junior year of high school, she won the title of Ponca City Stock Car Queen. She graduated from Ponca City High School with the class of 1955. Marlene married her high school sweetheart, Harold James, in July 1956 and they had six children together: Nona, Rennie, Lennie, Donnie, Shawne and Pam. Harold passed unexpectedly in 1966. She married Kenneth Evans in March 1968 and of this union, Walter and Carl were added to the family. Marlene always worked outside the home. She held various jobs in Ponca City while married to Harold. After moving to Marland, she worked as the Marland City Clerk and as a secretary at Marland School. Once her children were raised, she moved to Ponca City and was employed at Ponca City Vo-Tech and then the Ponca City Tag Agency before retiring in 2016.
While her children were in school, Marlene enjoyed watching them participate in extracurricular activities. She didn’t miss a game or stock show and often worked the concession stand at the Marland Gym. She also enjoyed taking them trail riding and camping. After retirement, Marlene enjoyed the peace and quiet. Watching classic movies and westerns was her favorite past-time. She was the center focus of holiday gatherings with her children and grandchildren. Easter was always fun with her, as she would put together prize baskets for the top egg gatherers. She really loved watching the little ones sprint around trying to win one of Grandma’s prize baskets.
Marlene was preceded in death by her parents, husband Harold James, sisters Donna Evans and Millie Hibbert, brothers in law Darrell James and Henry Tebrinke, daughter Nona Patrick, son Donnie James, grandsons Seandale James, Garrett Sisco, and Mathew James, and nieces Kimberly Vincent and Suzan Walsh. She is survived by sisters, Pat Tebrinke of Ponca City, Sandra Adkins and her husband Jim of Ponca City, and Bobbie James of Ponca City, her children, Rennie James and his wife Diane of Marland, Lennie James of Ponca City, Shawne Fulsom of Wichita, Pam Craig of Ponca City, Walter Evans and his wife Lynn of Marland, and Carl Evans and his wife Joyce of Tonkawa, 24 grandchildren, 37 great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Services will be Monday, January, 22 at 2:00 pm at Albright United Methodist Church, 128 South Palm, Ponca City, Oklahoma.
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