His family relocated to Tacoma, Washington when he was 8 months old, drawn by the economic boom taking place in the area. He attended grammar and high school in Tacoma and completed two years at Stanford University. He continued his college education at Columbia Law School in New York City, from which he received his law degree in 1912. Evan practiced general law in Tacoma until he enlisted in the United States Army in 1917. He was sent oversees as a member of the 364th Field Artillery.
In the spring of 1918, after an honorable discharge from the army, Evan returned to Tacoma and was employed briefly as Director of the Veterans’ Welfare Commission. That same year he married Mabel Karin Erickson. In October 1919, Evan and Mabel moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he was employed by the Phoenix Title & Trust Company.
In 1923 Evan began working with the Coggins Title Company where he remained until 1932. During this time he also specialized in real estate tax and trust law. In 1933 he served briefly as the Inheritance Tax Collector for the State of Arizona before taking on the roles of Assistant State Manager of the Home Owners’ Loan Corporation for Arizona as well as Acting State Manager. During the 1930’s he was also the City Attorney for Phoenix.
Evan was involved in various activities outside of his profession including Commander of the American Legion Department of Arizona and President of the Phoenix Fiduciaries Association. He passed away December 5, 1938 at the Veterans’ Hospital in Sawtelle, California, at the age of fifty-two.