The Reverend Dr. Evans F. Sealand, Jr., 87, of Simsbury, beloved husband of Evelyn (Jackson) Sealand, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 29, 2016 at John Dempsey Hospital in Farmington. Evans was born on October 5, 1929 in Brooklyn, NY, son of the late Dr. Evans F. Sealand, Sr., MD, FACS and Marion (Gray) Sealand and lived in Canton, CT for 53 years prior to moving to Simsbury five years ago.
He was a graduate of Kew-Forest School, Forest Hills, NY and was awarded a B.A. degree in American Civilization from Rutgers University. After completing ROTC training and graduation, he served in the U.S. Army in the Ordnance Corps stationed mainly in Korea during the Korean War.
After his discharge from the military, Evans attended the Oberlin Graduate School of Theology in Ohio and was awarded the Master of Divinity and the Master of Sacred Theology degrees. Later in life, he received his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Hartford Seminary Foundation.
Evans began his ministry as a student pastor in the North Monroeville Congregational Church and the LeRoy Universalist Church both in Ohio. His first and only full-time pastorate was with the First Congregational Church, Canton Center, CT where he was ordained into the United Church of Christ (UCC) in ‘59. He served for 35 years until his retirement in ’94 when he was designated as Pastor Emeritus. During his lifetime, Evans touched countless lives.
Among his many activities, he served the Town of Canton on its Board of Directors of the Visiting Nurses Association and the Salvation Army Committee. He was a co-founder and tutor of the Avon-Canton tutoring organization (ACT) for inner city children and Vice President of the Canton Conference of Churches.
As minister of the Canton Center Church, he served in many capacities with the Farmington Valley Association of the UCC and was a delegate to a General Synod meeting.
Evans was active in the Connecticut Conference of the UCC as a leader of youth, serving on the Board of Directors, Board of Church and Ministry, Committee for Continuing Education, Committee on Aid to Ministers and was Interim Visitor for the UCC Pension Board. For the Hartford Seminary he was the Chair of the Alumni Fund Committee, Vice President and Interim President of the Alumni Council and a member of the Board of Directors. For seven years Evans visited and counseled prisoners in the Connecticut Prison system. He also served as the Archivist for the UCC Conference for 12 years after his pastoral retirement.
Evans was an avid reader and enjoyed word puzzling (in pen!). He had a love of genealogy, traveling and continued his learning through Elderhostels. He loved camping, fishing, peanut M&Ms and ice cream. He enjoyed music and sang in the church choir. He had a quick wit and enjoyed a good play on words.
Besides his loving wife of 63 years, he is survived by his daughters, Beverly Sealand of Wethersfield, CT and her boyfriend Wayne Bugay, Pamela Reale and her husband Andrew of South Glastonbury, CT, Deborah Casanova and her husband Frank of Saratoga, CA, and Diane Sealand of Boulder, CO; his grandchildren, Lindsey Reale and her boyfriend Allen Senechal, Emily Reale, Caelyn Casanova and Cory Casanova; his sister, Barbara Edgerton and her husband Roy; his sister-in-law, Barbara Keithline; his nephew, Scott Edgerton, his niece, Susan Edgerton and his nephew, Curtis Keithline and wife Deborah.
There are no calling hours. A memorial service will be celebrated on Saturday, January 14th, at 11 a.m. at the First Congregational Church, Canton Center, 184 Cherry Brook Road, Canton Center. Private committal service will be in the Canton Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Evans requested that you help someone in need and/or make peace with your neighbor. Memorial donations may be made to the First Congregational Church, Canton Center, 184 Cherry Brook Rd, Canton, CT 06019. The Vincent Funeral Home of Canton is caring for the arrangements.