Jeffrie D. Evans, Sr.

A Life of Service, Leadership, and Family Jeffrie D. Evans, Sr. was born on December 14, 1932, in Moore Station, Texas, a historic African American community in Henderson County founded by formerly enslaved families after emancipation. He was raised within the close-knit Moore Station community and descended from families whose history was deeply connected to the development of the town. In 1952, at approximately nineteen years of age, Jeffrie joined the United States Air Force. His decision began a distinguished military career that would span three decades. Through commitment, discipline, and leadership, he rose to the Air Force's highest enlisted rank, Chief Master Sergeant. During his career, Jeffrie served at military installations across the United States and overseas. His assignments took the family to Riverside, California; Madrid, Spain; Peru, Indiana; Omaha, Nebraska; Anchorage, Alaska; and Fort Worth, Texas. Each move required the family to build a new home, adjust to a new community, and support the responsibilities that accompanied military life. Jeffrie's career included service as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Alaskan Air Command. In that position, he represented and advised on matters affecting enlisted personnel and their families. The assignment reflected the confidence placed in his judgment, experience, and leadership. While serving in the military, Jeffrie met Charlotte L. Eldridge, a native of Ottumwa, Iowa, who also served in the United States Air Force as a member of the Women in the Air Force, commonly known as the WAF. Jeffrie and Charlotte were married on August 29, 1958, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Together, they raised four children: • Jeffrie D. Evans, Jr. • Cassandra Denise Evans Trotter • Yvette Theresa Evans Wiggins • Anita Gayle Evans The Evans family experienced military life together, moving from one assignment to another while maintaining a strong and supportive family foundation. Charlotte's own military background gave her a personal understanding of the demands of service, relocation, and military family life. Jeffrie completed thirty years of service to the nation before retiring from the United States Air Force at Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1982. His retirement concluded one chapter of public service but did not end his professional contributions. Following his Air Force retirement, Jeffrie began a civilian career with the United States Army Corps of Engineers. He worked with the Corps for thirteen years, continuing his service to the federal government and applying the leadership, organizational abilities, and experience he had developed during his military career. Jeffrie also gave his time to the American Red Cross for many years. His volunteer service demonstrated that his commitment to helping others extended beyond his formal military and civilian careers. Whether serving his country, supporting federal projects, or volunteering in the community, service remained a defining part of his life. Jeffrie and Charlotte's family has continued to grow. They are the grandparents of six grandchildren and the great-grandparents of five great-grandchildren. Their marriage, military experiences, family travels, and years of public service created a legacy that reaches across several generations. From his childhood in Moore Station to his rise to the highest enlisted rank in the United States Air Force, Jeffrie D. Evans, Sr. built a life defined by perseverance, leadership, family, and service. His story reflects both the history of the community that raised him and the opportunities he pursued through military service. His journey from a small Texas freedom colony to senior leadership in the United States Air Force represents an important chapter in the broader Evans, Cofer, and Moore family story. The values established by his ancestors in Moore Station — faith, education, hard work, independence, and dedication to community — continued through his military leadership, civilian career, volunteer service, and devotion to his family.