Robert Joseph Evans, 88, a resident of Falcons Landing in Potomac Falls for 44 years, died Jan. 4. He was born in Chicago, Ill., March 13, 1917 o John Howley Evans and the former Clare Regina Greene. Evans graduated from Illinois Institute of Technology with his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering in January 1947 where he was a member of two honorary fraternities: Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi. He became a registered professional engineer in 1950. His career started in Illinois where he worked as an engineer for A.O. Smith Corp., Cook Electric Company, Rheem Manufacturing Company, Union Asbestos and Rubber Company, Hotpoint Company Ñ a division of General Electric Ñ and Tropic-Aire Inc. before moving to the Washington, D.C., area to work for Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute in 1961. Throughout his 21-year career at ARI, he held various positions including executive director of engineering before retiring in 1982.
Evans was active in the National Capital Chapter of American Society of Hearing, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. He was president of the chapter and became the chairman of Region III of ASHRAE. He chaired the ASHRAE standards committee in 1967-68 and the US Technical Advisory Group for the ISA TC-86, which covered all refrigeration standards on an international level since 1976. He became an ASHRAE fellow January 1979. and an ASHRAE life member July 1986. He was a World War II veteran with service in the Army Aircorp 8th Bomber Command from January 1943-April 1945. He served three additional months of duty with Air Transport Command North Africa in Casablanca and Tunis. His active duty ceased in December 1945 when he was a captain, but he retired as a lieutenant colonel in the USAF in December 1970 after serving as deputy commander of the Air Force Reserve 9629th Squadron.
He married the late Lorraine Marie Heissler Dec. 6, 1942. He is survived by one brother, John Evans; six children, Linda Evans Banks, Nancy Evans Vaughan, Kathleen Evans Murray, Joan Evans Korman, John Joseph Evans and Michael Robert Evans; and 11 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday, Feb. 17, at Fort Myer Chapel, Fort Myer, Va. Graveside services and interment will follow with full military honors.