James (Jim) Alan Evink was born on January 15, 1960, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to the late Robert Evink and Dorothy "Dot" Evink, who preceded him in the promotion to heavenly glory. He is survived by his wife, Tracy (Louck) Evink, children Valerie Bovard, Charlie (Leah) Bovard & his cherished granddaughter, Roxanne “Roxy Jo” Bovard. He is also survived by his sister Robin DiBiasio, brother Thomas (Denine) Evink, sister Kathy (Rick) Wierenga, and several loving nieces and nephews.
During his very full life, Jim was steadfastly present for those he loved, wonderful with kids, and generous with big bear hugs. Jim was well-traveled as he was able to visit all 50 U.S. states and several countries abroad. He was very proud of his alma mater, Grand Valley State University.
Jim proudly served as a TSA agent at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, where he was also a member of the Honor Guard. Previously, he worked at Gerald R. Ford International Airport and at Meijer Corporate while living in Michigan. Jim loved his work and the people he served, earning the distinction of Model Officer nearly every year. Known for his warmth and professionalism, Jim never missed an opportunity to strike up a conversation with travelers, especially those carrying a Michigan driver’s license or a birth date matching his family members. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness to all, dedicated loyalty to his passions, and deep love for his family. He passed away just months before his well-earned retirement.
Go Blue! He was a diehard fan of the Michigan Wolverines, proudly sharing his loyalty with anyone who would listen.
Jim had a lifelong fascination with space and followed NASA, Rocket Lab, and SpaceX closely, never missing a rocket launch. His loyalty to all things space began when he was a young man in the 1960’s. He absorbed everything he could read and watch on the space program. Unfortunately, his family was camping with no television available in July 1969, so he could only listen to the Apollo 11 mission and the first walk on the moon via the radio. From that moment on, he would watch every launch possible, including driving down to Florida (from Michigan) just to catch some of the live launches. He adored moving to North Carolina since he could travel to launches much quicker and even see a few from his own neighborhood.
Everyone who had the joy of knowing and loving Jim is certain that sending him to the moon is an absolute dream come true and that this is the best way we can honor him.
Love you and Soar Free!!
