George Edward "Bo" Evers

IN MEMORY OF: George Edward “Bo” Evers Serving Location: CRAIN FUNERAL HOME – CAIRO 4815 Sycamore Street, Cairo, Illinois George Edward “Bo” Evers, 79, of Villa Ridge, passed away on Friday, May 10, 2024 at Union County Hospital with his children by his side. These are Bo’s words: Let me tell you a little about my life. I was born on November 2, 1944 into a family of five. It was a very loving and caring family. My mother and father were the most important factors in shaping my life. They were strong disciplinarians but always tempered with love. Early on they taught me about the importance of strong family bonds which I always carried with me. They taught me the true values in life and how to interact with my fellow mankind. I owe them so much. I had two great older brothers, Harry Owen and Charles David, and a beautiful older sister, Martha Ellen, although she will tell you she is younger. My father loved to read and my mother taught us reading in our formative years before starting school. I attended Lowell Elementary School in Mound City. There, the teachers did a great job of impressing the value of the “3 R’s” and the importance of education. My high school years were at Mound City Central High School. Those four years were filled not only with a lot of learning, but also with fun. For a small school, there were many activities for all the students including sports, music, plays, and other recreations. I was fortunate to be involved in many of these. Strong bonds were formed with many classmates. During the summer of my junior and senior years, I was accepted into a National Science Foundation Program at SIU. Leaning the latest in science and being able to interact with high school students from across the nation was a fabulous experience. After graduation, I attended SIU on a teachers training scholarship. I double-majored in anthropology and biological sciences. I had not really planned to follow in the footsteps of my father, brother, and sister, and go into teaching as a career, but a teaching and coaching position at Meridian was available. Coach Jim Byassee, who I played basketball and baseball for and taught me biology talked to me about filling the position. This started my 38 year career as an educator, principal, and teacher at Meridian High School. Later, I also worked at Shawnee College as an assistant basketball coach and night class teacher of biology. I truly loved teaching and coaching. To help students understand science and even enjoy it was my goal. I hope I succeeded. All my coaching was with Coach Byassee, who I came to feel as if he were another brother. Thanks Jim. Again I was fortunate to be in the National Science Foundation for science teachers. For three summers I attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas and six summers at SIU. It was enlightening, education, and fun. I married and was blessed with two children, Jessica Nicole, and Jeremy Kyle. I am so proud of both of them and they fill my heart with exceptional pride and love. They continue to be the greatest achievement in my life. I have three grandchildren, Joshua Lee, Lillian Faith, and Jude Evers that being sunshine in my life every day. The time I spent with them was always so much fun. In my later years I began to play golf and became a member of a great gang called “The Possee” who terrorized the Egyptian Country Club. Thanks for all the fun, fellowship, and great games gang, it was a blast. I also enjoyed going to high school basketball games with a great friend and fellow coach, Mitch Haskins. We traveled many miles and watched numerous games. Finally, if I have touched the life of but one person and made it in any way brighter or better, then my stay here on this East was not without purpose. For it is not so much what we have done while here, but what we have done that lives on in others after we are gone that is a true test of the worth of a persons life. My time here was filled with many things, happiness and sadness, good times and bad, love and heartache, success and failure, all of which were a part of me. Remember, it takes all of these to make a life complete. So I hope that when you think of me, it will not be the happy times but also the sad moments we shared. All I ask of you is to remember that death is not the end of my life as long as those who remain are still unearthing memories of me. So sometimes if you like to take a moment or two and take a stroll down memory lane, I will be there to meet you. I love you all. Bo. The cremation of Bo will be personally handled by the staff at Crain Funeral Home. Crain Funeral Home in Cairo is in charge of arrangements.

George Edward "Bo" Evers

November 2, 1944 - May 10, 2024