Ronald E. Evans; Apollo 17 Command; Module Pilot on Last Trip to the Moon

Ronald E. Evans, 56, who in 1972 was the Apollo 17 command module pilot on man’s last trip to the moon. Born in St. Francis, Kan., and educated at the University of Kansas and the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Evans called his moon flight “the best experience I ever had in my life.” Evans remained behind in lunar orbit while crew mates Eugene Cernan, mission commander, and geologist Harrison (Jack) Schmitt explored the barren surface of the moon in 1972. “I’d like to get down to the moon’s surface, you’re darn right I would,” Evans said before launch. “But I’m not crying sour grapes just because I can’t go down to the moon. I feel very fortunate that I even have the opportunity to get within some 80,000 feet of the moon.” Evans left the astronaut program in 1977 to become an officer with the Western American Energy Corp. in Scottsdale, Ariz. In Scottsdale on Saturday of a heart attack.