Patti Payne on Dan Evans: ‘I loved his spirit, respect and humility’

I’m Patti Payne and this is my perspective: Once a U.S. senator and a three-time governor, Dan Evans died last week. He was 98 years old. It was all over the national news and, of course, the local outlets.

All the facts are there, from his love of wilderness to his family’s pioneer roots going back four generations.

My heart and mind are filled with personal memories of him. My daughter Lee Keller was his press secretary when he was senator.

From Feliks Banel: Dan Evans, former Washington governor and US senator, dies at 98

I’ll never forget coming to know him, and having him and his amazing wife Nancy Bell Evans over the house many times. In fact, he performed the marriage of my daughter to her then husband, in my house — and both he and Nancy were open to guiding my grandson Jacob from when he was born almost to this day. That was 22 years ago.

He and Nancy were so close and so devoted to each other. She once told me that every night they were home, no matter what, she always lit candles for dinner to make it special, whether it was hot dogs or steak.

The Daniel J. Evans Wilderness

And how he loved hiking in the wilderness. In 2000, the Olympic Wilderness, all 877,000 acres of it in the state of Washington, was officially renamed the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness. It was an honor bestowed on Evans in a ceremony at Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic National Park.

“No person is more worthy to have wilderness named after him than Dan Evans,” former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said.

Evans was taken by surprise by the honor.

“They usually wait until people are dead before they name things after them, so it is a real thrill to take part,” he told me in that signature rumbling voice. “This is a big deal.”

It was just that. This was only the second time in history that a wilderness area has been named after a living person.

Days before the ceremony, Evans, his sons, one daughter-in-law and five of nine grown grandchildren had gone on a three-day outing hiking and camping in the Olympic Mountains. He was 91 at the time.

More on Dan Evans: ‘I loved his willingness to talk’

Some of what I loved about him was his accessibility. You could call him at any time and he’d answer his phone. In fact, their number was never unlisted.

I loved his willingness to talk about any topic from marriage to politics and he always had an interesting and strong opinion.  I loved his spirit, his respect and his humility. And how when he was talking to you, you felt like you were the only person in the room, even though there was a crowd pushing to get to him.

Writing his book, “Daniel J. Evans: An Autobiography,” was something he considered one of his biggest accomplishments. (He questioned his own ability to do this when he was part way through.) He felt the same way about his strong ties to the University of Washington, his beloved alma mater.

A lasting legacy: Evans reflects on storied career, state of modern GOP, and more

Evans was an avid student of history and hoped his book would give folks a better understanding about the importance of holding public office to our country and to the world.

Evans was renowned for his ability to inspire consensus so when he spoke or wrote, people listened, and learned. His book is one to read. It is an important part of his legacy.

I’m Patti Payne for KIRO Newsradio, and that’s my perspective.

Patti Payne is a Seattle-based media personality and a contributor to “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of her commentaries here.