Kenneth Warren Evans Jr.

Kenneth Warren Evans Jr.

Born in 1945 in Tulsa Oklahoma to Billie Marie and Kenneth Warren Evans, Sr.

Philadelphia, PA – Kenneth “Ken” Warren Evans Jr., 80, passed away peacefully on the last day of 2025 at Jefferson Hospital, surrounded by his loved ones.

Ken was a devoted Husband, Father, and Sibling, and he cherished time spent with his family and friends. He had a gift for connecting with anyone and finding commonality. He was silly sometimes and loved to laugh. He will be remembered by all those whose lives he touched as a hard worker and a nice, compassionate man who took the time to learn a little bit about everyone he encountered, whether that was at Saturday Mahjong or at a visit with his longtime barber, or picking up Breakfast Banh Mis and Ginger tea at CapheRoasters, his newest discovery. He loved everything about Philadelphia, the hometown he shared with Carmhiel Jeanne Brown, his wife of 44 years.

Ken is also survived by his children: Corbin Evans (Cynthia), Amy Evans Kappers (Matthew), Matthew Evans (Sara), Kelsey Evans (Shay); and his grandchildren: Olivia, Grace (Nigel), Maren, and Carter; his siblings Kelly Evans and Kay Evans (Ben) and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his Mother and Father, as well as his brothers, Keith and Kirby.

A consummate entrepreneur, Ken dedicated his professional career to many vocations, starting from the time he spent working for his father in the Canteen Food Truck, Ken’s Koffee Service, and bottling Dad’s Root Beer. He later owned CornCo, a popcorn business where he created the Popcorn-Gram, while working alongside his brothers, Keith and Kelly, and his oldest son, Corbin. After his promotion to Junior Executive with Aramark, he was instrumental in many projects, including the opening of the Houston Astrodome. He was the founder and Managing Director of Concordia Financial Group for over thirty years. He was highly regarded in the investment banking industry, often sharing his insight and mentoring rising business professionals. He recently started a small company with his children, Nutricat, to address health concerns for cats. He loved all the cats he rescued over the course of his life, especially Lila, adopted from a local shelter; the two often shared a Pop-Tart in the middle of the night.

A lifelong athlete, Ken was recruited by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Central High School in his hometown of Saint Joseph, Missouri. He picked up running later in life and completed many marathons and Broad Street races. For 35 years, he spent most mornings running on Kelly Drive next to the Schuylkill River, while saving Thursday nights for trail runs with the Wissahickon Wanderers. In addition to athletics, Ken also had a passion for music. He began playing piano as a child before moving on to flamenco and classical guitar in his adult life.

Ken was an avid reader and dedicated crossword solver, completing New York Times puzzles and sharing a daily WORDLE text thread with family. His love for language was not limited to English: he began taking Spanish lessons in his 60s to better communicate during annual trips to Cozumel, proudly carrying on conversations and building relationships with local residents.

Food played such an essential part in Ken’s life, as evidenced by some of his early possessions, which included the Time-Life Cookbook series and a set of Sabatier Knives on which he honed his knife skills. Constantly on the lookout for the newest restaurant before it got too popular, he would seek out the place with the best tamales or pho or chocolate cake. His weekly routine over the last 50 years always included a trip to the Reading Terminal Market, where he previously served on the Food Trust Board. His love of good food and cooking led him to create and self-publish his own collection of recipes, family favorites, and his personal exploration of cooking called Dad’s Diner.

Carmhiel was his best friend, partner, and the love of his life. They had planned to celebrate their wedding anniversary this month. Years of travelling the world provided a lifetime of memories, as did the annual holiday music boxes he gifted Carmhiel over the years they were together. Ken and Carm’s loving relationship set an example for his children and others to follow.

He was most proud of his children, all of whom were with him when he passed.

Ken shared his deep passion for food with all of his children. Corbin, his oldest, chose a career in the food business, and with Ken and Carmhiel’s enthusiastic support, he attended and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. He and Ken worked together on several projects, including Cool Peppers, a Mexican-style burrito place, where they developed recipes and tested menu items. A daily call to check in always led to the topic of food.

Amy, his oldest daughter, shared Ken’s love of flowers and gardening, and opened her own floral business. Ken would take photos of flowers he came across on his morning runs and share it with Amy for inspiration. He loved being a grandfather or as they called him Bumpa, to his two oldest granddaughters, Olivia, and Grace. He loved hearing about their lives, their cats, and sharing his love of travel and food especially during annual family vacations in Bethany Beach Delaware.

Matt, his youngest son, shared his father’s athleticism and love of sports. Growing up, Ken was an avid fan watching his children play and supporting them from the sidelines. Whether it was following the Flyers or playing fantasy Premier League soccer, Ken always kept up with sports. Ken and Matt enjoyed lunches in the city at traditional and new restaurants. He loved to hear about his youngest grandchildren, Maren and Carter, and their pursuits in and out of school.

Kelsey, his youngest daughter, grew up sitting at the kitchen counter while Ken was cooking. She combined her love of food and books by first working as a Pastry Chef and later, a literary agent, seeking to represent and champion authors in both fiction and the evolving food space. Ken and Kelsey were constant companions, starting early in her life while traveling with her AAU Basketball team, all the way to weekly trips to Reading Terminal, and grabbing dinner with her and Shay at Mustard Greens.

Ken’s warmth, wisdom, and unwavering love will be deeply missed by all who knew him. His legacy will continue through his wife, children, and all those with whom he touched. Ken will be dearly missed.

There will be no service; however, a small family gathering will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his name to NTM Foundation for Nontuberculosis Mycobacteria lung disease, a condition he bravely endured for the last few years of his life.

When making a donation, please select Research and choose the Dedication option to honor his memory: Bronchiectasis and NTM Association Donation Link.  https://host.nxt.blackbaud.com/donor-form/?svcid=tcs&formId=4aabaa83-639b-48cc-ba6c-51042765c04c&envid=p-G8VY9i6W30SuTkG15XHYpA&zone=usa