Funeral services for Laurie Evans, age 40 of the Riderville Community of Panola County, Texas will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 29, 2007 at Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Dale Reed officiating. Interment will follow in the Langley Cemetery near Beckville, Texas. The family will receive friends from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. Mrs. Evans passed away on Wednesday afternoon, October 24, 2007 in Carthage.

Laurie Ann Gartman Evans was born on January 18, 1967 in Houston, Texas to Waymon Gartman and Bobbie A. Ross Cecil. Laurie graduated from Carthage High School in 1985 and then attended Panola College where she was a member of the Panola College Choir. She married Mark K. Evans on April 20, 1991 in the Riderville Community. Laurie worked at La Fiesta Restaurant in Carthage for many years as a cashier and hostess. On May 1, 2005, Laurie underwent a heart transplant. She had lived her lifetime in Panola County and was of the Baptist faith. Laurie was preceded in death by her step-father, Henry Cecil; a son, Dylan Evans; her maternal grandmother, Elvesta Ross; and a dear friend, Dixie Miller.

Laurie is survived by her husband, Mark K. Evans of the Riderville Community; two sons, Justin and Brandon Evans both of the Riderville Community; one daughter, Casandra Evans of DeBerry; father, Waymon Gartman and wife Karon of Chireno, Texas; mother, Bobbie Ross Cecil of the Riderville Community; two brothers, Charlie Harvey of Little Rock and Stephen Harvey and wife Evelyn of Carthage; one sister, Angela Marsh and husband Charles of Little Rock; two half brothers, Christopher Gartman and wife April of Pecan Hill, Texas and Randall Gartman and wife Bridget of Anna, Texas; one half sister, Kristin Gartman of Nacogdoches; two brothers-in-law, Robin Evans of Clovis, New Mexico and Todd Evans of Phoenix, Arizona; aunts and uncles, Kathy and Paul Shivers of Carthage, Pat Ross of Beckville, Ola Rene and Ricky Jester of Tyler, Mary Louise and Wayne Bryant of Carthage, Billy and Marilyn Ross of Beckville, and Marlin and Dorothy Ross of Beckville; father-in-law, Keith Evans of Stinnett, Texas; and aunts and uncles-in-law, Cheryl and Butch Kliever of Cordell, Oklahoma and Wayne and Charlene Evans of Borger, Texas. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, friends, and co-workers also survive.

Serving as pallbearers are Rocky Cuff, Robert McDaniel, Christopher Benitez, Jonathan Shivers, Charlie Harvey, and Stephen Harvey.

If desired, memorials may be made to the benefit account in memory of Laurie at the First State Bank & Trust Company, POB 579, Carthage, Texas 75633 or donations may be made to the American Heart Association, POB 15186, Austin, TX 78761.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.