Richard L. Evans

Richard L. Evans

Richard Louis Evans (March 23, 1906 – November 1, 1971) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1953–1971), the president of Rotary International (1966–1967), and the writer, producer, and announcer of Music and the Spoken Word for forty-one years (1929–1971).

He received a BA and MA from the University of Utah. There, he joined Pi Kappa Alpha. He may have been best known as the announcer for the weekly Mormon Tabernacle Choir radio broadcast, Music and the Spoken Word: he wrote, produced, and announced the radio broadcasts, including a short inspirational message. Evans' weekly broadcasts spanned from its inception in 1929 until his death in 1971. His voice was familiar to Latter-day Saints everywhere as the narrator of various Church productions, most notably the LDS film, Man's Search for Happiness.

He was ordained an apostle on October 8, 1953 after the death of Albert E. Bowen.

Evans was the last apostle of the LDS Church to sport facial hair while in office, wearing a neatly trimmed mustache until the mid-1960s.

He died on November 1, 1971, aged 65, and his place in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was filled by Marvin J. Ashton. Evans was buried at Salt Lake City Cemetery.