H. Ray Evans, 89, Pullman, passed away Thursday, April 1, 2010, at his home at Bishop Place Retirement Community, with his family by his side. Ray was born Nov. 8, 1920, in Cotter, Ark., to Spellman and Willie Baker Evans. He grew up and attended school in Cotter, where he graduated from high school.

Ray attended college in Clarksville, Ark., and it was there he met LaVerne Walton. They were married June 10, 1944, and while on their honeymoon moved to Los Angeles, where Ray began his career with Dial Finance in 1944, becoming a branch manager in 1951. Ray had a long and distinguished management career with Dial Finance, which in the 1980s became Norwest Financial and is now Wells Fargo.

In 1951, he and LaVerne moved to Arcadia, Calif., and started a family. Ray eventually worked his way up through the company to the position of senior vice president and division manager for Norwest Financial, a position that necessitated moving to Des Moines, Iowa. When Ray retired in August 1986, he had five regions under his supervision, with offices ranging from Hawaii to Alaska and North Carolina.

After retirement, Ray and LaVerne lived in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and Boulder City, Nev. In 1990, Ray and LaVerne moved to Moscow, to be closer to their 2-year-old grandson, Nathan Kohler, and then to Bishop Place in 2004.

Ray's main passion and interest in life was his family, and the world of finance. Ray was witty, had a wonderfully dry sense of humor and an intellectual curiosity about the world. Most of all Ray cared deeply for his wife and daughters.

Ray is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, LaVerne, at their home at Bishop Place in Pullman; his daughters and their husbands, Marilyn and Steve Kohler of Moscow, and Janice McMannis and Anthony Buba of Braddock Hills, Pa.; his brother, Keith Evans; sister, Joyce Cloven; and grandson, Nathan Kohler of Moscow.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister.

No public services are being planned.

Kimball Funeral Home of Pullman is in care of arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.kimballfh.com.