By Miles Layton

EDENTON – Chowan County Commissioner At-Large Chris Evans announced his resignation from the Board of Commissioners at Monday’s meeting, ending six years of service on the commission. His resignation takes effect November 1, 2026.

Born and raised in Chowan County, Evans said he reached the decision after considerable thought and prayer. He and his wife, Lisa, have moved to Lenoir, her hometown, where the couple founded Evans Funeral Service & Crematory more than two decades ago.

County Commission Chairman Bob Kirby spoke after Evans made the announcement, offering thanks on behalf of the full board.

“I will say that the past six years for me has been a pleasure having you as our at-large representative, and you will be missed,” Kirby said.

Kirby then turned to the work ahead for the board. He said there are legal requirements the county must meet before the seat can be filled, and he expected Evans and the county attorney to work through them together.

“We need to start moving forward with filling that seat as quickly as possible,” Kirby said. More on that process appears at the end of the story.  

Reasons for stepping down

In a written statement, Evans said a combination of professional demands, travel, a change of residence and health concerns led him to conclude it was time to leave elected office.

Evans serves as executive director of the North Carolina Funeral Directors Association, a job that takes him across the state. He also freelances as a co-manager of a funeral home in central North Carolina. He said the two roles have made it harder to give the commission the time he believes the job requires.

“My responsibilities with NCFDA, along with my work assisting in the management of a funeral home in central North Carolina, require a significant amount of travel and time away,” Evans said. “Lisa and I have also moved back to Lenoir, where we began an important chapter of our lives together many years ago. With these changes and some health concerns, I have come to realize that I need to reduce some of my commitments.”

Evans did not elaborate on his health concerns. He said they have led him to scale back some of his activities and commitments.

He said the decision was not an easy one.

“After careful consideration, I believe stepping aside at this time is in the best interest of both the Board of Commissioners and the citizens of Chowan County,” he said. “Public service carries a tremendous responsibility, and the people of this county deserve commissioners who are able to give that responsibility the time and attention it requires. I have always believed that if you accept the responsibility to serve, you should be willing and able to give it your very best.”

Evans said that when he first ran for the office, he did not fully grasp how complex and demanding county government can be.

“It has been both an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Chowan County over the past six years,” Evans said. “When I first sought this office, I could not have fully appreciated the complexity and responsibility that come with serving in county government. This experience has been educational, rewarding and one that I will always treasure.”

And I’ll say it — Evans did a great job. And the Rocky Hock Baptist Church’s choir is sure to miss his voice too.  

A family connection to the board

For Evans, the seat carried personal meaning. His grandfather, Carey “C. M.” Evans, served on the Chowan County Board of Commissioners during the year Evans was born.

“My grandfather was a man of great faith and integrity,” Evans said. “Serving on the same board that he once served on has been one of the great honors of my life. I can only hope that, in some small way, my service to Chowan County has honored his legacy and made him proud.”

Evans also thanked the people he worked with during his time in office. He said the friendships that came out of public service will be among the things he remembers most.

“I am deeply grateful to my fellow commissioners, county staff and, most importantly, the citizens of Chowan County for allowing me the privilege of serving,” Evans said. “The professional relationships have been important, but the personal friendships that have grown from our time together are something I will always value.”

Although he has moved away, Evans said his attachment to Chowan County remains.

“Chowan County will always hold a special place in my heart,” Evans said. “It is where I was born, where I grew up and where so much of who I am was shaped. No matter where life takes Lisa and me, Chowan County will always be home in a very special way.”

Return to Lenoir

Lenoir is where Chris and Lisa Evans built their funeral business, raised their family and formed relationships that have lasted over the years. The move puts them closer to their daughter, Liz, who lives in Lenoir and works in management at Valdese Weavers, the largest domestic producer of decorative jacquard textiles in the United States.

Their son, Jon, lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where he works in the music industry as a bass technician for the rock band Evanescence.

Evans will also go back to work at Evans Funeral Service & Crematory, this time as a professional preneed counselor. The role will let him help families again through the funeral home he and his wife started, and reconnect with longtime friends in the community where he spent many years in funeral service.

He described the move as bittersweet.

“Lisa and I have returned to a community that means a great deal to both of us, but that does not make leaving Chowan County or public service any easier,” Evans said. “I leave with a grateful heart and with tremendous respect for those who serve our county.”

He closed his statement with a message of thanks.

“I will always be thankful for the confidence the citizens of Chowan County placed in me and for the privilege of representing them,” Evans said. “I pray for continued wisdom and success for our Board of Commissioners and county leadership, and may God continue to bless Chowan County and its wonderful people.”

How the vacancy will be filled

Evans’s departure leaves an open seat on the seven-member board, and state law spells out how it must be filled. Under North Carolina General Statutes 153A-27 and 153A-27.1, when a county commissioner resigns, the remaining members of the board appoint a qualified replacement to serve out the term. About two years remain in Evans’s term, so whoever is appointed would hold the seat until it comes up for election in 2028.

Because Evans held an at-large seat, the district residency requirement that applies to some boards does not apply. The law does require, however, that the replacement belong to the same political party as the person who left the seat, provided that person was elected as a party nominee. Evans is a Republican.

The board is also expected to consult the local Republican Party’s executive committee before making an appointment. The statute does not require the board to follow the committee’s recommendation.

The statute sets a deadline. If the board has not filled the vacancy within 60 days, the clerk of Superior Court must make the appointment within 10 days. The clerk also steps in if the board lacks a quorum and has no chairman to appoint enough members to restore one. Neither situation applies to Chowan County at this point, since Kirby and the remaining commissioners are in place and can act.

Kirby did not say when the board might take up the appointment, though I expect it to be in the near- to mid-future.

Evans’s resignation is effective November 1, which gives the board time to begin preparing.