With family near, Daniel Jackson Evans died on the evening of September 20th at his home in Laurelhurst, a place with spectacular views of the Pacific Northwest mountains that were such an important part of his life. He was 98 years old.

The oldest son of Daniel L. "Les" Evans and Irma Ide Evans, Dan was raised in Laurelhurst not far from the home in which he died. He spent many a day with friends at Laurelhurst Playfield, and fell in love with the mountains while spending summers as a Boy Scout at Camp Parsons. He went on to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout and for several years led senior Scout expeditions into the Olympic Mountains. Dan graduated from Roosevelt High School on a Friday and started the following Monday at the University of Washington as part of the naval officer training program. He obtained undergraduate and graduate degrees in civil engineering from the UW sandwiched around a year spent on aircraft carriers in the Pacific during World War II. Called back into the Navy during the Korean War, he served as a navigator on the destroyer Leonard F. Mason and as Flag Lieutenant and aide to Admiral William K. Mendenhall at the peace talks in Panmunjom.

Dan began his civil engineering career in Seattle working on projects like the Alaska Way Viaduct, but he was soon drawn to politics. As he told Admiral Mendenhall, who urged him to consider a career in the Navy, "Well, the political business at home is a dirty business and I think I can clean it up."

He won an open seat in the state legislature in 1956 and went on to become Republican leader of the House. During his time as a representative from the 43rd District, he and Victor Gray launched Gray & Evans, a structural design engineering partnership whose projects included the condominiums at Crystal Mountain. He was elected governor in 1964 and over the course of three terms established the state community college system, created the nation's first Department of Ecology, gave the keynote address at the 1968 Republican National Convention, and cemented a reputation as someone who would work across party lines for the good of the State. As he often put it, "I would rather cross the aisle than cross the people."

Choosing not to run for a fourth term, in 1977 Dad and Mom took the family on a storied (to the family, anyway) five-month trip to Europe and Africa before beginning a six-year stint as President of The Evergreen State College. He was appointed to the United States Senate in 1983 following the death of Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson, won a whirlwind special election two months later, and served five years in the Senate before returning home to his beloved Washington state. Back in Seattle, Dan launched into television commentary, a wide range of civic ventures and service on various boards and commissions, including 12 years on the Board of Regents at his alma mater. In 1989 he joined former Democratic Governor Mike Lowry in establishing the Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition to obtain public funding for new local and state parks and wildlife habitats. To date the coalition has leveraged over $2 billion for more than 1,700 projects.

The Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington is named in recognition of Evans' lifelong commitment to public service, his longstanding ties to the UW and his exemplary experience in the fields of governance, education, and the environment. Congress designated the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness Area in Olympic National Park as a fitting tribute to Evans' years of public service and efforts to protect some of Washington's most beloved landscapes.

Dan was a devoted fan of all things Husky and could be found at just about every home football game. He was disappointed to watch his Huskies lose to Washington State at what would be the last game he attended. True to form he said, "At least a Washington team won." One of his proudest personal accomplishments later in life was chairing the committee that led to the remodel of Husky Stadium completed in 2013.

Dan was ever-hopeful he would live to see the Mariners play in the World Series. He was also an excellent skier in his day and an avid backpacker until well into his 80s, having scaled all of Washington's seven major peaks. He was a serial hobbyist, a devoted parent and grandparent, and loving husband of 64 years to Nancy Bell Evans, who passed away in January. Dan and Nancy were a dynamic, romantic, accomplished partnership from the day he proposed marriage (or rather from three days later when she said "yes") to the day they parted.

Dan and Nancy are survived by their three sons and daughters-in-law and nine grandchildren Daniel J. Evans, Jr. and Celia Evans of Seattle, WA (Eloise, Isabelle, Jackson); Mark Evans and Deborah Logan of Ipswich, MA (Emily, Ben, Grace); and Bruce Evans and Christy Evans of Arlington, VA (McKay, Andrew, John).

A service celebrating the life of Daniel J. Evans will be held at 3:00 p.m. on November 12th at the Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington. Memorial contributions may be made to The Mountaineers or to the Daniel J. Evans Endowment for Excellence in Public Service at the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington.