Darlene Evans Jonas

Darlene Evans Jonas, 89, was born on January 4, 1935 in Los Angeles, California to her mother Della May Evans. She passed away peacefully Friday, February 9, 2024 at RiverBend in Asheville, NC after bravely living with Parkinson’s disease for over 20 years. Darlene was surrounded by family and those who loved her dearly.

Darlene’s mother Della, her sister Claudette, and Darlene moved to Phoenix, Arizona to live with her grandmother Hanson when Darlene was a young girl. Della soon married Keith Evans and he became an important figure and adoptive father to Darlene. She and her sister grew up during the Great Depression and World War II in Phoenix and her beloved Grandma Hanson took in roomers and boarders in their home to make ends meet. Their dinner table was always full with the wives of soldiers who were serving in the war, and families and single men who needed a warm meal and a safe place to sleep. These people and their stories became an important part of Darlene’s extended family and would impact Darlene’s lifelong commitment to create a safe shelter for all those she encountered.

Growing up, Darlene was a stellar student, active in the youth group and choir at Central Methodist Church on Central Avenue, played piano, and enjoyed sports. She attributed her lifelong curiosity and drive for education to her Grandma Hanson. Darlene graduated from Phoenix Union High School (“On Coyotes!” and “Old PU”, she would joke) and went on to Arizona State University, graduating in 1956 with a degree in Sociology. Upon graduation, her commitment to the Methodist church inspired her to continue her education and make a drive across the country (car breaking down along the way) to attend Boston University and study Theology. Darlene’s curiosity during this time inspired a trip on the ocean liner, Queen Elizabeth II, crossing the Atlantic to spend a semester living in and exploring England with her sister.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Eric Jonas, whom she met while earning her Master’s degree in Religious Education at Boston University. At the time, Eric was attending Harvard Law School. They had a chance meeting at a Thanksgiving dinner in 1960, and the “rest is history”, she liked to say. They loved their time in Boston and took in music by the Boston Symphony and the Pops, saw Ted Williams play at Fenway Park, and heard Malcolm X speak at Harvard. Darlene and Eric were married in 1962 at Trinity Church in Boston.

After relocating to Eric’s hometown of Charlotte in 1963, Darlene and Eric became the proud parents of four children born within five years. She would jokingly refer to those busy years raising babies and toddlers as the “blurred” years and also her happiest times because she loved being a Mom. An active parent, Darlene served as PTA President at AG Junior High and attended countless school and extracurricular events. She started a Great Books program and created a nature trail at Selwyn Elementary where her children attended. Darlene and her family were members of Covenant Church where Darlene was an active church member serving as an elder, supporting her children in youth groups and choir, and delivering food to others with Meals on Wheels. She created a home that welcomed all for meals and additional children and teenagers were always in the mix. Darlene introduced her children to camping with her dear friend Martha Mallory and created memories like climbing Mt. LeConte together as a family, Christmas family sing-alongs with the Goolsby and Mallory families, wonderful shared holiday meals, chasing crabs on the beach at Ocean Isle, and family basketball games in the backyard. She enjoyed playing tennis with friends, took up running and yoga, loved a challenging crossword puzzle, a witty joke, taking care of her azaleas, snuggling with the family dogs, cooking for her family, and traveling with family and friends.

Darlene went on to become a passionate teacher, social worker, and champion for affordable housing. She taught as an adjunct professor at Queens University, and worked at Crisis Assistance Ministry when that now essential community resource was in its early days. Darlene found her true calling as a social worker with the Charlotte Chapter of Habitat for Humanity. In 1991, Darlene and a couple of colleagues at Habitat for Humanity had the audacious idea to have a crew of only women build a house from start to completion. Habitat’s “Women Build” was born and now operates all over the world and continues its original mission to provide opportunities to empower women from all walks of life. Above all, Darlene was a voracious lifelong learner, poet, writer, and thinker who loved discussing big ideas with friends and family. Her indomitable spirit was a source of inspiration to all who knew her. When she learned she had Parkinson’s disease, she sprung into action and joined the board of the Parkinson’s Association of the Carolinas, started a yoga class for people struggling with the disease, lobbied on Capitol Hill with the Parkinson’s Action Network for increased funding for neurological diseases, and supported others who were impacted by the disease.

Darlene/Nanny/Nanza touched countless lives with her empathy, wisdom, insight, and need to build deep friendships and relationships with her children, their families, and their friends. She is survived by her sister, Claudette Warlick; children Rick, Jim, Don, and Annie Jonas; grandchildren Bennett, Markey, Henry, MaryElizabeth, Finn, and Gabriel; daughters in law Karin Jonas, Debbie Jonas, and Stacey Enos; sister in law Alice Jonas, extended family; many dear friends and adopted family she loved, including Tess, Violet, and Jordan Kelly, Hans Von Bulow, Lucie Hills, Tripp Funderburk, and Karen Hoglen who all embraced her as Mom/Nanny.

The family is grateful for the support and love from kind and caring friends and caretakers who supported her and allowed her to continue to be her curious, kind, witty, and joyful self into her final days.

A memorial service will be held in Charlotte at Covenant Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 2 at 1 pm.

In place of flowers, donations can be made in Darlene’s honor to Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte or Four Seasons Hospice of Hendersonville.

The family invites you to contribute to the online guestbook that follows.