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<p>ASHLEY &#8212; Sitting Mayor David Evans passed away Wednesday morning after a series of strokes. Evans, 81, had a long career in politics, spanning terms as a member of the Hanover Area School Board as well as mayor of the small borough.</p><p>&#8220;I always called him the godfather of politics,&#8221; Joe McGlynn, councilman and fire chief, said. &#8220;He was my dearest friend.&#8221;</p><p>Along with being a member of the <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/archive/281591/news-local-news-971366-hanover-area-pressed-for-probe-after-hiring" target="_blank">Hanover Area School Board for 34 years,</a> Evans also served on the Wilkes-Barre Area Career and Technical Center Joint Operating Committee.</p><p>According to Evans&#8217; obituary, he graduated in 1953 from Ashley High School and attended Penn State University.</p><p>Evans&#8217; son Dave said his father was his best friend.</p><p>&#8220;Dad was the mayor and a gentleman,&#8221; Dave said, adding that the mayor loved his family, was proud of his Irish heritage and relished opportunities to be involved in community service.</p><p>Those in politics had similar sentiments for Evans.</p><p>&#8220;He cared about people,&#8221; Councilman Frank Sorokach said.</p><p>Sorokach spent time on the school board with Evans in the 1980s as well as on borough council while Evans served as the borough&#8217;s chief executive.</p><p>The councilman said Evans &#8220;never missed a Saturday&#8221; of work at Carter Footwear. He also worked as a courier for the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority until his retirement in 2014, Evans&#8217; obituary states.</p><p>The mayor was also a member of the Lions Club in Ashley.</p><p>Joe Wroblewski, a past international president of the club, said Evans was &#8220;always there&#8221; for events and charity functions with the club.</p><p>&#8220;He was very good in the standpoint of participation,&#8221; Wroblewski, of Dallas, said.</p><p>Dave said his father &#8220;loved the town he grew up in.</p><p>&#8220;He could be found singing Sinatra at Charlie&#8217;s (Cafe) or the Ashley American Legion, or rooting for the kids at the Hanover games.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Evans </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_evansmug.jpg</photo0><caption0>Evans </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Melanie Mizenko</p><p>mmizenko@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Melanie Mizenko at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TL_MMizenko.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Ashley Mayor David Evans dies at 81, remembered for love of community