The Rev. Douglas Paul Evett, 74, died Friday, Aug. 24, at home after a long illness. Doug was the rector of St. Clare’s Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor from 1972 until 2001. He was instrumental in establishing Genesis of Ann Arbor. Born in Denver, CO, April 17, 1938, he was the second of four children to Paul and Mary Louise Evett. He grew up in Mt. Pleasant, MI, where his father was a professor of English at Central Michigan Univ, and where his mother was a librarian in the public school system. He graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School in 1956 and received a B.A. from The University of the South (Sewanee) in Tennessee in 1960. He met his first wife, Deborah Wilson while at Sewanee and they were married in 1960. Douglas then attended seminary at the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass., graduating with a Masters in Divinity in 1962. Doug’s first clerical assignment was as vicar of St. James, Pentwater, MI, in 1962, and then as the assistant rector at Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, MI, from 1965-1972. In 1972 the Evett family moved to Ann Arbor where Doug became the second rector of St. Clare of Assisi’s Episcopal Church. He served in that capacity until 2001. He felt that his greatest accomplishment during his 28-year tenure at St. Clare’s was the creation of Genesis of Ann Arbor in 1975, which, to this day, allows St. Clare’s and Temple Beth Emeth to share their building and grounds at 2309 Packard Rd. Doug married Emily Meuleman in 2003 and they resided in Ypsilanti Township at the time of his death.
Other than his family, Doug’s great loves included fly-fishing, reading everything, the Detroit Tigers, the Michigan football team, Civil War history and the dry martini.
Doug is survived by his wife, Emily, brother Stuart Evett of Boise, ID, sister Paula Shirley of Mt. Pleasant, MI, four children, Matt Evett of Ann Arbor, Peter Evett of Dallas, and Sarah Rothleder and Anne Bartolomeo both of Fairfax, VA. He is also survived by two step-children, Brady Worden of Ypsilanti, Sarah Roth of Chicago, as well as six grandchildren and four step-grandchildren. Also surviving is his former wife Deborah Evett of Ann Arbor.
Doug’s ashes will be interred at St. Francis’s Chapel on the grounds of St. Clare’s Church.
A memorial service will be held at St. Clare’s at 1PM, Friday, Sept. 7. Donations can be made to either the Douglas Evett Memorial Fund at St. Clare’s (www.saintclareschurch.org, 2309 Packard Rd, Ann Arbor, 48104), or to The Civil War Trust (www.civilwar.org).