Mike was the fifth child of Dr. William Walker Evans and his wife Alice Gertrude Burch. He was delivered by his Dad on a hot August day at the family home in Halcyondale, Screven County GA. By all accounts he was a happy little boy but his destiny was shadowed in tragedy.

May 30, 1916 started off much like any other day but with the added glow of Alice’s Birthday. Alice and her sister Gussie were sitting on the porch with Mike's oldest siblings Augusta, called Sis, and Brother [AKA Walker Jr]. Dr. Walker Evans was in the garage getting ready to leave on a call. Unbeknownst to Walker, little Mike, who was particularly attached to his daddy, had followed him out. After Walker got in the car Mike climbed up on the running board, his curly hair just below Walker’s view. As Walker pulled passed the front of the house Mike started to get off of the still moving car. Losing his footing his feet began sliding under the car. The women screamed for Walker to stop. Alice leapt from the porch running, as the others watched in frozen horror. Mike slipped completely under the car and the car, unable to stop, ran over him. He lived just a few minutes, dying in his father’s arms. He would have been three August 28.

Mike had always loved to sing in Sunday school and his favorite song was “We Shall See the King Some Day”. Brother had vivid memories of him walking around the house singing “We shall see the King some day! Some Day!! We shall see the King Sommmmmmeeeeee Dayyy!!” On his first tombstone at Union Baptist Church Walker and Alice put, “We too shall see the king someday.”

For the rest of his life Walker carried a picture of Mike in his watch – an old fashioned watch that opened when pressed. Many years later Alice told her granddaughter Sue that her birthday was never a happy time for her. I didn’t understand because I didn’t know the story. I understand now with aching heart.