Bruce Wayne Evenson, 73, of Front Royal, Virginia, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on June 9, 2026, after a courageous battle with cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer).
Bruce was born on January 3, 1953, in Decatur, Illinois, the son of the late Winton Oscar Evenson and Julia Davis Sowers Evenson.
He is survived by his devoted, loving wife of 27 years, Betsy Evenson; his beloved four-legged companion, Bentley Oscar Evenson; two daughters, Stephanie (Eric) Chancy of Apex, North Carolina, and Julie Hein of Bartlett of Tennessee; two sisters, Paige Evenson Doyle of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and Lynn Evenson Urban of Front Royal, Virginia; and four grandsons, Andrew Chancy, Jacob Chancy, J.D. Hein, and Gabriel Hein.
Bruce was also dearly loved by his extended family, including his mother-in-law, Brenda Thomas Kincaid; sisters-in-law, Lisa Switzer and Carol Switzer (David) Young; cousins Gary (Tammy) Bunch and Rae Bunch (Bruce) Wines; and many other cherished relatives and friends.
Bruce spent more than 40 years in the industrial construction industry, dedicating his career to building and remediating power plants throughout the country.
Together, Bruce and Betsy made homes in Lynchburg, Virginia, Plainfield, Illinois, and Howell, Michigan before returning five years ago to Bruce’s hometown of Front Royal. There, they enjoyed life in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, living on a golf course where he competed in high school and across the street from a golf course built on land that had once been his grandparents’ farm.
Bruce had a lifelong love of golf and was always humble about his remarkable talent. Yet anyone fortunate enough to play a round with him knew he possessed a gift for the game. Many would say he should have gone on tour. He also loved traveling and exploring the beauty of the United States, as well as destinations throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe.
Many would say Bruce’s circle was small, and they would be right. He treasured a close-knit group of friends whom he loved like family, and he loved his family with all his heart. His quiet strength, loyalty, kindness, and sense of humor touched the lives of everyone who knew him. He is deeply loved and will be profoundly missed.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation to support research into this rare cancer (https://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org.donate), or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where Bruce proudly served as a Partner in Hope for more than 25 years (501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105).
A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date.