Bruce Evans: High school teacher, coach made lasting impression on generations of Edmonds youth

Robert Bruce Evans

Robert Bruce Evans passed away peacefully on August 17, 2025 surrounded by his wife and three children. He was 85

Bruce was born on November 28, 1939 in Edmonds, Washington. He spent his childhood much as he would spend his adult life; organizing and playing in sandlot baseball games, 3-on-3 pickup basketball, and even touch football if there were enough kids around. And when the Pacific Northwest rains forced him inside, he headed for the town library to pursue his other love, reading and books.

Bruce graduated from Edmonds High School, class of 1957. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a teaching certificate from the University of Washington, and later a Master of Arts in Education with a specialty in rhetoric and linguistics from Western Washington University.

A life-time lover of language and literature, Bruce taught high school English, journalism, creative writing and supervised the publication of the school newspaper for 30 years at Woodway High School, later Edmonds-Woodway High. He made a lasting impression on generations of Edmonds youth with his humor, his intellect, and his ability to relate to so many kids trying to find their way through the tumultuous 1960s, 70s, & 80s. Many of them called him “the best teacher I ever had” on Facebook and other forums when they learned of his passing.

Bruce’s interests were wide-ranging. He raised animals, gardened, made wine, golfed, bowled, played basketball, ran marathons, and could own a dance floor swing dancing with Judy. But it was his love of words that age never dimmed. He was an expert puzzler, tackling the NYT crossword or mind-bending acrostics almost daily. He maintained a voracious and dynamic engagement with newspapers, magazines, books, and later in his life, all that the internet information-age had to offer, including a daily Wordle challenge with a group of former students.

After years of delighting readers with his own essays, stories, poems, and even cartoons on his website, Bruce culminated his oeuvre with his 2022 semi-autobiographical novel, A How Pretty Town. In it, he explores a life well-lived in the Edmonds bowl, on the eastern shore of Puget Sound. His mastery of description, dialogue, word play, and literary allusion is on stunning display as he examines everything from local history to sports to metaphysics and the meaning of life.

Bruce loved sports throughout his life. From sandlot game organizer as a kid to commissioner of his over-80 softball league in his retirement home of Mesa, Arizona, Bruce lived for the love of the game. His impact as a coach certainly rivaled that of his teaching. He was a pioneer in women’s sports from the advent of Title IX until his retirement 25 years later. Bruce mentored countless young athletes as coach of the women’s basketball team. His high expectations and determination raised the bar for his players and inspired generations of Lady Warriors to have the confidence, tenaciousness, and passion to be successful on the court and in life.  His teams won several conference championships, earned almost yearly state tournament berths, and won a state championship. Along with Coach of the Year honors, Bruce’s induction into the Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2025 culminated his achievements on the sidelines. That so many of his former players attended the ceremony, even after 40 years, is a testament to the impact he had on them as a leader and mentor. And his impact went beyond basketball. He also coached golf and women’s softball where, unsurprisingly, he won a State Championship as well.

Retirement for Bruce looked nothing like the word implies. He and Judy, his wife of 65 years, moved to Mesa, Arizona where they continued to pursue their love of sports. They played tennis and golf together and Bruce became very involved in the Senior Softball Circuit. He won regional and national championships as a player as well as volunteering countless hours organizing leagues throughout the years. All the way into his 80s, his week would consist of softball, golf, lifting weights, and bowling.

Whether a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, coach, teacher, teammate, or friend, Bruce was beloved by all who knew him. His wit, determination, patience and aplomb were legendary and his life serves as the purest example that the people who shape us most may only be in our lives for a season, but their influence lasts forever.

Bruce is survived by his high-school sweetheart, Judy, and three children: Mark, a retired Air Force Colonel living in Texas with his wife Cindy; Audrey, a respiratory therapist living in California with her husband Bruce; and Matt, a FedEx pilot living in Alaska with his wife Karin. They have eighteen grandchildren and, at last count, 18 great-grandchildren as well.