Faith Patricia Evans (May 11, 1937 – January 9, 2014) was a Hawaii state legislator and one of the first women to serve as a United States Marshal.[1]
Evans, of Hawaiian and Puerto Rican descent, was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. She previously worked as public relations director of Habilitat Inc., and was a member of the Hawaii Legislature for six years (1974-1980).[2]
Evans was appointed U.S. Marshal for the District of Hawaii by President Ronald Reagan on August 12, 1982.[3] [1] She was involved in various high-profile cases while serving as U.S. Marshal. One of them was the 1964 case of Henry Huihui, a leading figure in Hawaii's underworld, who became a protected Federal witness in a plea bargain that required him to testify, on request, about crimes he knew about. According to Evans:[4] Another high-profile case was that involving Franklin Y.K. Sunn. Hawaii's top welfare officer who was jailed on a contempt-of-court charge in 1983. Before the judge set Sunn free, Evans said:[5]
Evans was also a registered nurse who worked at St. Francis Hospital. She founded the Puerto Rican Heritage Society in Hawaii and, in 2000, led the Puerto Rican Centennial Commission of Hawaii.[1] During the celebration activities of the Puerto Rican Centennial Commission, Evans was quoted as saying:[1]
Evans died on January 9, 2014, in Kailua, Hawaii. She is survived by husband, Noel; son, John; daughters, Tricia and Kathleen; sister, June (Harry) Shultz, Leona Parker; brother, Donald Ernesto.[6]
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie paid tribute to Evans and ordered that the flags of the United States and State of Hawaii be flown at half-staff at all state offices and agencies as well as the Hawaii National Guard from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, the day of her memorial services.[7]