Funeral arrangements have been made for retired Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge James Evans who passed away Thursday surrouned by his family at University Hospital in Cleveland.

A service celebrating the life of Judge Evans will be held at 11am Tuesday at the Lane Family Funeral Home Austintown Chapel.

Family will receive friends on Monday, August 17 from 4 p.m. Until 8 p.m. at Lane Family Funeral Homes, Austintown Chapel, 5797 Mahoning Ave., and also from 10 a.m. until the time of services at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 18.

Judge Evans was born November 10. 1942 in Youngstown, son to the late James and Josephine (Buckley) Evans.

Judge Evans was a 1960 Rayen High School Graduate and an United States Army Veteran. He went on to Youngstown State University where he received his Bachelors of Education and Criminal Justice in 1971, and his Masters Degree in Secondary Education in 1973. Judge Evans then went to Ohio Northern University and received his Juris Doctorate Degree in 1975.

During his education, Judge Evans worked as an Ohio Highway Patrol Officer in Medina, Stark, and Mahoning Counties from 1963-1968. From 1968-1970 he was a Canfield Policeman (part-time) Reserve Mahoning County Deputy Sheriff and a YSU Police Officer. He then worked as the Assistant Director of Security/Police and Instructor of Criminal Justice at YSU from 1970-1973.

After receiving his Doctorate, Judge Evans worked as an attorney in active practice of civil and criminal law. From 1990-1995, he was an elected township trustee for Jackson Township, Chairman 1994. Judge Evans served 4 years as County Court Judge and then spent 16 years on the bench of Common Pleas Court until he retired in October of 2014. He was then appointed by Governor Kasich to the Ohio Ethic Commision.

Judge Evans was a very active member of his community and was a member of many clubs and associations. He was director of the Canfield Fair Board, President of the Mahoning County Bar Association from 1987-1988, a member of the Austintown Rotary Club, the Ohio State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Mahoning-Trumbull Trial Lawyers Association, the Mahoning County Township Association, the Crime Club of Greater Youngstown, and the YSU Alumni Association.

He was also an affiliate member of the Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District, a fraternal member of the Saxon Club, a Youngstown Shrine Club Ancient Accepted Scottish Right, a Fraternal Order of Police Associate, and a former instructor of the Ohio Peace Officers Training Council. In 2014, Judge Evans was inducted into the Mahoning County Democrats Hall of Fame.

Left to carry on Judge Evans' memory is his loving wife, Darla (Cessna Cuculich) Evans; his children, Jamie Evans Gady of New Middletown, Bonnie Cuculich of Poland, Zach Cuculich of Canfield, and Heidi Cuculich of Canfield; his grandchildren, Jordan and Jillian Gady, and Julia and Maverick Evans; his sister, Delores (Dennis) Lyne of Kalamazoo, MI; and many nieces, nephews, and counsins.

In addition to his parents, Judge Evans is preceded in death by his son, John D. Evans, and his brother, John Evans.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mahoning County Junior Fair Board or to the Rescue Mission of Mahoning Valley, PO Box 430, Youngstown, OH 44501.