John “Jack” Evers was born on April Fool’s Day 1938, in Topeka, Kansas; within weeks of his birth, he came home to Green River, where his family has deep roots, dating back to the 1870s.
A lifelong horseman, little Jackie got his first semi-wild pony at age six and rode it through the streets of town. At age seven, he lost his mother to cancer.
As a student at Green River High School, Jack played football, participated in track, and served as student body president. After graduation, in 1956, he enrolled at the Colorado School of Mines, where he played varsity football, boxed, and wrestled on a club basis. He was a member of the 1958 RMFAC championship and Hall of Fame Football Team. He received a professional engineering degree in petroleum engineering in 1960 and went to work in Texas and Oklahoma for the Atlantic Company, later known as ARCO and Atlantic Richfield.
After a brief stint in the US Army, Jack married the former Ann Wilkinson. Their marriage lasted 30 years, produced a daughter, Chia Lynn, and ended amicably. A return to school resulted in a PhD from the University of Kansas. In 1970, Jack became an assistant professor of petroleum engineering at the University of Wyoming, where he advanced through the ranks to serve as department head, 1980–1986.
Jack retired from UW (for the first time) in 1996 and spent 10 years traveling the world with his partner, Lydia Dambekalns, and teaching industrial courses. His travels included destinations in the US, Canada, Columbia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Hungary, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Sudan, Libya, Trinidad-Tobago, India, Hungary, and Indonesia. He returned to UW in 2006 on a part-time basis and earned the Outstanding Petroleum Engineering Teaching Award in 2008 and the Outstanding Undergraduate Engineering College Teaching Award before retiring (again) in 2015.
Never content with only one career, Jack also became a professional farrier and the first AFA-certified journeyman farrier in Wyoming. He served as farrier for the United States team at three World Championships — in Barcelona, Spain in 1992, the Netherlands in 1994, and the US in 1996 — as well as working for the Mountain Zone team at the Pan American Championships in 2003 and the North American Championships in 2005.
In addition to his professional endeavors, Jack spent his life in various horse-related competitions, starting with rodeo — both roping and bronc riding; horseshowing; jumping and dressage competitions; and, finally, endurance racing. At the age of 72, he received his third buckle in the Western States 100-mile race, also known as the Tevis Cup. He logged nearly 5,000 race miles over the course of his endurance career, on his home-bred Arabian horses
Jack’s interests in retirement years remained broad: current world events, the Laramie Foreign Foods group, solving complicated math puzzles for fun, reading books about Wyoming, and Rising Moon Ranch work with Lydia.
In 2016, Jack was inducted into the Green River High School Hall of Fame. Much of this obituary was drawn, at his request, from the biography he prepared for that event.
Jack Evers passed away after a brief illness on September 1, 2026 in Laramie. He is survived by his partner Lydia Dambekalns, daughter Chia Evers, son-in-law Dan Novy, foster son Tom Eickbush, and daughter-in-law Mechelle Eickbush.
A celebration of life will be held in early November.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to any education- or animal-related charity of your choice.
My condolences to Chia and the family. We have fond memories of Ann and Jack with our horses.
Dr. Evers was a great asset for the UW Engineering School. He was an outstanding engineer and a teacher of the practical application of engineering principles. He was my advisor and taught many of my classes. Of most importance to me was Drilling Engineering. After 40 years in industry I became a Professor of Practice at UW in 2015-16 teaching Basic Drilling. My first contact when back on campus was Dr. Evers and he schooled me again on the department, students and how to approach teaching there. He was very helpful to me in my new role. Jack was always helpful, practical, and had time for his students. He certainly left his mark on UW and Petroleum Engineering.
Rest in peace professor. You were the professor of the first college course I ever walked into. Still memorable. Well done sir!
Jack was one of the most memorable professors I had at UW. Every time I think of drilling I think of him. His lectures were like events you attend to. A true legend, he passed on his experiences down to us the students through the lectures and stories, and set a real example on how to be a dedicated person to a profession and passion in life. Never forget.
Jack’s courses will always be a bright spot during my time in the UW Petroleum Engineering Department. He was great at conveying concepts in the most practical manner possible and always had a side-story that would leave a smile on your face. He was one of a kind. Thanks to his part time work in later years, he was able to leave a lasting mark on not one, but two generations of UW Petroleum Engineers. He will be missed.
Dr. Evers was first and foremost a great man. He would spend time with us to discuss life and career anytime his door was open. My fondest memories of Dr Evers were at Centenial Ski resort. I never was able to keep up with him skiing but we had great times enjoying a few beer before heading back to Laramie on many a Friday afternoon. After graduation he would always organize an UW event at national conferences and was eager to discuss our careers and experiences.
Although it has been twelve years since I first sat in Jack’s petroleum engineering class, whenever I think back on my time at Wyoming, I am still deeply grateful. After every class, Jack would take my classmates and me to his office and patiently walk us through real drilling equipment, pieces weighing 20 kilograms, explaining everything as many times as we needed. I still remember telling him that I had just arrived in Wyoming as an international student and was struggling to follow the lectures. He warmly told me to come to him with any questions, and never to give up when things got hard. He was not only a great professor, but an even better person.
I was fortunate enough to meet Jack when I attended UW in 2013-2014. Since I was a non-traditional student (in my 40s), Jack made me feel I was very welcomed in his classes. He also never forgot about me once I graduated. I will never forget this great professor, and great man!!!!
Was privileged enough to have been a student under Dr. Evers for Drilling Engineering. Always full of fantastic, real world stories and practical application of engineering knowledge. Along with some great anecdotes about oilfield life. Godspeed to Dr. Evers and his family. He was a true original.
By far the most memorable professor of my college experience! Jack Evers was a legend to have as a professor, a true Wyoming Cowboy in every sense. He embodied and taught the “cowboy up and get it done attitude” for everything, from solving petroleum engineering problems to life’s challenging paths. Welcome home Jack, enjoy the green grass up there!
Jack was a true embodiment of the Cowboy Spirit. As a former student, he taught not only the fundamentals of petroleum engineering but also how to be a good person. He always had fascinating anecdotes about his life and travels, and the way he spoke about his children and partner showed how proud he was of them and how much he cared for them. I will always be amazed by how he was able to compete at such a high level in endurance racing and work as a farrier while also corralling all of us students!
I never had Jack as an instructor, but did visit his place as well as see him at the various UW functions and Oil Shows. He was a vibrant guy, exactly what you think of as an oilman. Plus we would never have our logo for the Petroleum Department if it weren't for his likeness. And being one of the Canadian transfer students he welcomed us in. Great guy and will be missed.
I am sorry to hear that Jack has passed. I was in the class of 1956 and we graduated together. I was out in the back yard of his when his father came oud and told him that his mother had passed. We were very close friends growing up and once we climbed in the brewery by climbing the logs that were there and we played in the metal round beer holders and spun them around were having a great time. After we stopped we went to get out and the opening was on fire. I had noticed a guy smoking in the alley and I often wondered if he threw a match up there. He was watching us climb. We were able to get around the fire enough to get out climbing down. Jack told me once at our class reunion that his father until he died still blamed us for the fire. My brother Larry and I did lot of fun things with Jack growing up. As a great friend of mine and our class of 1956 I will always remember Jack. He was a good football and basketball player. Was a great person and a great teacher. He loved horses and they loved him when he was with them. Well you will certainly be remembered as a wonderful friend and classmate. Margaret Sims Noble
Had the pleasure of taking a logging class from Dr. Evers at UW. Real life application of the subject matter was key with him and important to my career that he helped to shape. Enjoyed the out of classroom discussions with him and casual conversations years later when our paths would cross in Laramie. Dr. Evers' "homespun" mannerisms were the perfect foil for his intelligence and understanding of petroleum engineering. I'm indebted to him for his teaching and sharing knowledge outside the classroom.
I knew Jack as a fellow farrier. His dedication to the craft was remarkable and I always enjoyed visiting with him.
in addition to being a great Horseman, a great Farrier an awesome petroleum engineer Jack was an interesting guy
I've always known Jack lived a remarkable life. It was a most pleasant surprise to see him at my sister's funeral held on the shore of Lake Marie which was a sort of a beginning of our adult friendship. Always good thoughts & memories. Saddle up & ride! Dave Potter, Wild Horse Ranch, Laramie.