Evan David Jefferson

EDavid Jefferson van

December 16, 1982 – November 27, 2016

Celebration Of Life

Saturday December 10, 2016 Service: 1:00 P.M.

Boyd Family Funeral Home 5001 Chef Menteur Hwy. New Orleans, LA 70116

Private Burial As Requested by Family

Repast Immediately Following Celebration Service Boyd Family Funeral Home

December 16, 1982 – November 27, 2016

His Life story The word “unique” is so over-used in today’s lingo that it’s never used correctly. The latest and greatest whatever is always very unique – then immediately compared to something.

Evan would have been amused because, not only was he truly “one of a kind,” he had an ever-present twinkle in his eye and indomitable sense of humor.

Evan Jefferson was born to Dwain and Rose Jefferson on December 16th, 1982 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the 2nd of their 3 children.

Evan developed a love for swimming that started at an early age. He credited the 1988 Summer Olympic Games for teaching him how to swim! He learned to swim by watching the swimming events on the TV at home. He joined his first swim team in 1988 at Isadore Newman at the age of 6.

His family subsequently relocated to Houston where he attended The Kinkaid School, T.H. Rogers Vanguard School, and graduated with honors from Booker T. Washington’s High School for the Engineering Professions in 2001.

During high school, Evan continued to excel in swimming winning several state and national titles. With the discipline swimming brought him, he was able to excel academically as well as in the pool. After graduating from Booker T Washington HS, Evan moved on to Trinity University in San Antonio. Ultimately Evan continued his college career at Texas Southern University studying Maritime Logistics and Transportation Management.

After university, Evan chose to honorably service his Country and enlist in the United States Navy. Using his extensive swimming background, he join the esteemed Explosives Ordinance and Demolition diving team. After his service in the US Navy, Evan thus followed his heart home to New Orleans.

Evan settled in New Orleans’ Central City and was moved to apply his artist’s eye and engineer’s mind to the task of re-creation… and nothing ever moved Evan just a little bit. He spent the next years “rebuilding” the city of his birth in his own one-of- a-kind way.

Evan leaves to cherish his memory his children, Zoe and Lucien Jefferson and their mother Laura Gonzalez. Evan also leaves his mother and step-father, Rose and Terry Hunter; his older brother Deshaun Andre Washington and his wife Ann Marie; and his younger sister Rachel Elizabeth (Jefferson) Moore and her husband Jermaine; as well as step-siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other family members and friends.

December 16, 1982 – November 27, 2016

Celebration of Life Memorial Service Saturday, December 10, 2016 1:00 P.M.

Musical Prelude Family Processional Opening Prayer ……………………………………… Pastor James Welch Greeting ………………………………………………….. Angel Manzanares A Time of Sharing… “Memories of Evan” Kat Duncan Martin Woodard Vernice Calvin Antonio Varnado Michael and Brandon Daley

Poem ……… “Death is Nothing At All” ……… Angel Manzanares

Precious Memories

Precious Memories

Through the years…

“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before the Final Battle” Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan: “Merciful Father, I have squandered my days with plans of many things. This was not among them. But at this moment, I beg only to live the next few minutes well. For all we ought to have thought, and have not thought; all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to have done, and have not done; I pray thee God for forgiveness.

Through the years…

“The 13th Warrior: Prayers Before the Final Battle” “Lo, there do I see my father.

Lo, there do I see my mother and my sisters, and my brothers.

Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning.

Lo, they do call to me they bid me take my place among them in the Halls of Valhalla, where the brave may live forever.”

“Swim Life”

“Swim Life”

To Know Him is to Love Him‌ I have never experienced the death of someone I call a friend until now. The range of emotions that I have felt since I got the news have been total shock, denial, numbness, then finally I kind of broke down, then I got angry. Every single week I would call just to let you know I was thinking about you and you most definitely had people who loved and cared for you in spite of certain circumstances.

We would sit and talk about everything and in those moments or hours (however long winded we felt at the time) You would always prove how strong and resilient you were. The pure love you had for your mom and sister is how I hope my son will grow up and love me. You spoke with such admiration when we talked about Ms. Rose and Rachel. And those babies! My goodness Evan, if you ever want to see a mans true heart and character, listen to how he speaks of his children. They were your entire world and you are the epitome of a hardworking man who does whatever needs to be done to make sure his family is good. Not many people know this, but Evan was a shoulder I could cry on any time during a very hard time in my life, from telling me straight up how things were whether I wanted to hear the truth or not, to calling me randomly and having me come over to play golf in that itty bitty living room đ&#x;˜‚. I’m gonna miss your stories especially the ones that take my breath away and make me look at yo ass like đ&#x;˜łđ&#x;˜ąđ&#x;˜Ž (those were the best ones). You left us and although selfishly we all wish you were still here but in my heart, I know 1000% you are at peace. Love you always Evan!

Please keep Evans family in your prayers. His mother, sister, and children have a long road ahead of them. Let's continue to uplift them and let them know we are here.

Vernice Calvin It has taken me a few days to process...still doesn't seem real...still can't find the words to accurately express my feelings...for days, I've cried, wondered why, and laughed thinking about the most random things. We always believe that we have all the time in the world with those who are close to us. But we don't.

I know these things to be true: There are very few souls as beautiful as Evan.

I'm forever grateful for the friendship we've shared from BTW/HSEP through college and into adulthood. God knows what is best for each of us whether we understand His reasoning or not. So, I hold on to the memories, life lessons & tokens of wisdom. Rest well, my friend. You live on in my heart.

Alexis Cisneros ALL I REMEMBER is JOSEPH, JARED, Evan Jefferson AND MYSELF DOMINATED USS AGE GROUP SWIMMING FOR YEARS. EVAN, YOU CAME TO THE TEAM IN COWBOY BOOTS AND SWAM BACKSTROKE‌ AND HE WAS ALSO 12, A PERFECT FIT. HE JUMPED IN THE WATER AND HIT THE FIRST 25 YARDS. I REMEMBER LOOKING AT JOSEPH LIKE "YOU KNOW WE ABOUT TO WIN EVERYTHING, RIGHT.� HE NODDED IN AGREEMENT. FOR YEARS THAT RELAY WON. IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU EVAN, BEING THE PERFECT FIT AND SHOWING US YOUNG WE WERE WINNERS THIS STORY AND OUR LIVES WOULD BE INCOMPLETE. TO BE HONEST WE NEVER SAW EYE TO EYE IN OUR YOUTH BOTH OF US VERY TERRITORIAL BUT I LOVED YOU BROTHER EVEN THEN, I RESPECTED YOU. AS ADULTS I ALWAYS FELT COMFORTABLE AROUND YOU BECAUSE I KNEW YOU WERE A "BULLRIDER IN A SPEEDO" A VERY COMPLEX MAN JUST AS MYSELF. I COULD BE MYSELF AROUND YOU AND THAT WAS SOMETHING YOU STRESSED TO ME. SO HERE'S TO MY RELAY PARTNER ON "THE BULL IN A SPEEDO." "THE PERFECT FIT" IN HEAVEN. ONE LOVE BRO. PS. AFTER OUR LAST CONVERSATION, I skin to skin with my daughter as you suggested and truly it was a gift, so now every time I hug her I will think of you. #FOREVERevanjefferson...

Martin Woodard

Mrs. Rose, my heart breaks for you. I am sending you all my love and prayers. Evan was many things to many people, but more than anything he was himself 100%. He was the most genuine person I have ever met. He was loved.

His smile lit the room for everyone and that's how we all remember him. Smiling. I love you and sending you hugs.

He lived and loved so passionately and he never compromised on that. It's something most people never get to even witness. Love to you Mrs. Rose, please keep me posted on the details as they come. I will talk to Jenn, and Vernice and we will send the most support we can in whatever way we can.

Dominique Hamilton

Death is Nothing At All

By Henry Scott-Holland

Death is nothing at all.

It does not count.

I have only slipped away into the next room.

Nothing has happened.

Everything remains exactly as it was.

I am I, and you are you, and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.

Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by the old familiar name.

Speak of me in the easy way which you always used.

Put no difference into your tone.

Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.

Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word that it always was.

Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it.

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same as it ever was.

There is absolute and unbroken continuity.

What is this death but a negligible accident?

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner.

All is well.

Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost.

One brief moment and all will be as it was before.

How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

With Gratitude & Love We, the family of Evan David Jefferson, would like to express our profound gratitude for your prayers, cards, phone calls, flowers, visits, words of comfort and various other expressions of love and support shown to us during this time. We are truly grateful for all that you’ve done. Our prayer is that God continue to Bless and keep you in his care.

Sincerely, The Family

Special Thanks to: Harbor Community Church & Pastor James Welch Eric Whitney -" Friendship is Everything" and while you and Evan only had a short time together your friendship meant a lot to Evan.

HCAP Family and especially coach Johnny Means for being a mentor and a surrogate father through the years. The friendships forged and the nurturing Evan received shaped the man he was to become without a doubt. This family is forever in your debt.

It is with the deepest of gratitude and love that I thank Terry and Kat Duncan. Evan was blessed to have had the love and support of you two over these last so many months. As a family we are eternally grateful for the love and support shown to our family upon Evan's passing. The family would also like to acknowledge the creation of the GoFundMe account started by Terry and Kat to ensure Evan's kids will have a start in life. They will know what you have done in their Father's memory.

Terry & Kat Duncan

Resting Together ‌

“My love is like a Rose divided into two, The leaves I give to others, but the Rose I give to you‌

Program Design: Our Celebrations of Life (504) 453-2186