Dennis H. Evans

Dennis H. Evans, 03/28/39-03/26/24, was born just outside of Grinnell, Iowa to Leonard and Clara (nee Parmley) Evans. Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Max P. Evans, a sister Joan (Cecil) Steinbach, daughter Susan K. (Ajith Dissanayake) Evans, brother-in-law William Wirth, and parents-in-law, Robert and Betty Wirth. He is survived by many who will greatly miss him, including his wife of 37 years, Mary Wirth, a brother Evan (Kim Bejot) Evans, two sons: John (Ronnee Schreiber) Evans and Andrew (Dawn) Evans, six grandchildren: Alexandra Dissanayake-Dill and Zoe Dissanayake, Dani and Karina Schreiber-Evans, Heather and Jared Evans; brothers-in-law: Robert (Mary) Wirth, Joseph (Mary) Wirth and John Wirth, sister-in-law Carol (William) Knoch, and many nieces and nephews.

Dennis lived a remarkable life. His formal education began in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Iowa and concluded with his Ph.D. in chemistry at Harvard. He was valedictorian of Grinnell High School, and at Ottawa College he was Homecoming King, an ordained Baptist minister and an Academic All-American football player. After receiving his doctorate degree in chemistry, he stayed at Harvard as Instructor in the chemistry department for two years, and then he joined the chemistry faculty at University of Wisconsin-Madison where he rose the ranks to become the Bascom & Meloche Professor of Chemistry. A summer graduate fellowship there is endowed in his honor by his former graduate student, Dr. Michael D. Ryan, Emeritus Professor of Marquette University. Dennis was also Professor of Chemistry at the Universities of Delaware and Arizona, and Research Professor at Purdue University. Dennis held one of the longest continuously renewed research grants from the National Science Foundation, spanning 1968 to 2011, ending only with his retirement. He earned major awards for his research, including the Riley Award in Electrochemistry, the American Chemical Society Award in Electrochemistry, and the Manuel Baizer Award in Organic Electrochemistry. Yet he always remained humble.

Dennis was as kind-hearted and cheerful as he was accomplished. Everyone liked Dennis. He went out of his way to help people, especially students and young faculty. He was a valued colleague, shouldering more than his share of the work, and he was a generous donor to universities, hospitals, and charities. His calm and caring personality will always be remembered.

Dennis loved to travel, and he relished visiting his children and grandchildren. He had many friends all over the world. Electrochemistry had its origins in Eastern Europe, and he enjoyed trips behind the Iron Curtain during the Soviet era. Italy was his favorite country to visit, and he was honored to be Visiting Professor at the University of Rome. Despite his fear of heights, he parasailed off of a 3,000 foot cliff in the Swiss Alps, went on a long zip ride in New Zealand, took a balloon ride in the Napa Valley, and heli-hiked in the Canadian Rockies. He savored his final bucket-list trip to Machu Picchu in the Peruvian Andes.

Dennis was very grateful to his caregivers: Dr. Husain Shaath of IU Health; Amanda Phelps of Optimal Exercise Solutions; Alicia Schwipps and Garret Buechler of Athletico Physical Therapy; Jennifer Murray and Tina Kaufmann of Brightstar Care; Carolyn Miller, Burke Streicher, and Cindy Haley of Franciscan Home Hospice; and the many caregivers of The Springs of Lafayette, especially Anna Cordero-Munoz and Philomina Asare.

Dennis’ ashes will be interred at Woodlawn Memorial Park, in Joliet, IL. There will be a Celebration of Life announced later. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Dennis H. Evans Summer Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.