Laura Jean Evans, 47, Antiques Dealer

GLOUCESTER, MASS.

:Antiques dealer Laura Jean Evans, 47, loving mother of Alexander Combs, 8, and Theodore Combs, 5, died on June 12, of cancer at The Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. She was the daughter of Jean A. Evans of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., and the late Theodore Evans Jr. She is also survived by her sister Sarah Evans of Santa Fe, N.M., and her brother Theodore "Teddy" I. Evans III of Crested Butte, Colo.

Born July 12, 1958, and raised on Lookout Mountain, Laura graduated from Girls' Preparatory School in Chattanooga before earning her BFA in art history from the University of Georgia.

After receiving her MA in the history of decorative arts from Cooper-Hewitt in New York, Laura remained at Cooper-Hewitt as the program director for the graduate school and continued her studies with symposiums and courses such as the Attingham Summer School Trust, for which she was awarded a scholarship.

Laura held positions at several museums and was the curator of the historic Maria Mitchell House on Nantucket. Her deep interest in history and decorative arts included membership in the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic New England and the North Shore Horticultural Society. Additionally, she was a board member of Weeks Brick House and Garden, Greenland, N.H.

Prior to becoming a full-time antique dealer, Laura worked for a number of other auctioneers and dealers, including David Schorsch of New York and Raphael Osana of Nantucket. She also managed the Boston office of Skinner Auctioneers and Appraisers.

Throughout her life, Laura sought to beautify the world, be it through sharing her love and knowledge of decorative arts, her avid gardening or her volunteer work. In 2005, she was honored by the Mayor of Gloucester for her work on the coastal cleanup campaign.

She will be deeply missed by her family and many friends.

Contributions in her memory may be sent to American Friends of the Attingham Summer School, 1965 Broadway, #19F, New York NY 10023; or to Good Neighbors Program, PO Box 6077, Gloucester MA 01930.