David A. Evans, 86, Valley Springs, SD, passed away on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.
A family gathering will begin at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 3, 2026, followed by a Celebration of Life at Heartland Funeral Home, 1801 Frontier Street, Brandon, SD.
David Allan Evans was born on April 11, 1940, in Sioux City, IA, to Arthur and Ruth (Lyle) Evans. He began college on a football scholarship and majored in English with a minor in biology. His interest in literature and natural history began in his teens. He eventually received a BA from Morningside College, an MA from the University of Iowa, and an MFA from the University of Arkansas. David married his first wife, Jan, in Sioux City, and lived in Brookings, SD until his retirement.
David was Writer-in-Residence and a professor at South Dakota State University for 39 years. He was a Fulbright Scholar in China twice, and appointed South Dakota’s Poet Laureate for 12 years. He was author of ten collections of poems, and his poems have been published in many journals and magazines and re-printed in over 75 anthologies. David continued to write and publish poetry up until his death. His last book, A Lake With Geese Flying Over, will be out this Fall.
David loved competitive racquetball and physical fitness in general with a steady work out routine up until he died. He spent his later years writing and publishing poems with Kathie, and loved to sit with their cats, observe the birds, and take walks around the neighborhood.
David is survived by his wife, Kathie Mulroy Evans; children, Shelly (Jean) Evans Moreau, David (Lisa) Allan Evans Jr., and Kari (Brian) Evans Marks; grandchildren, Dustin (Laura), Justine, Brandyn, Joshua (Sophia), Nicholas, Tempest (Braden), and Jackson; many great grandchildren, and his beloved cats.
David was preceded in death by his first wife, Jan; mother, Ruth; father, Arthur; brother, Robert; and sisters, Bonnie and Judy.
“But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad, Walks o’er the dew of yon high eastward hill.”
Hamlet ~ William Shakespeare
Celebrate a life with the whole community in The Dakota Scout. Contact obits@thedakotascout.com to have your loved one remembered today.