Evan William Frank

Evan William Frank of Asheville, North Carolina, died of an accidental overdose on June 13, 2024. He was 35. Evan was born in Austin, Texas, on April 11, 1989. His family moved to a house his father built in Dripping Springs, west of Austin, just before his sister, Asra, was born in 1992. They grew up together in the country, with horses, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, turkeys, pigs, spiders, and scorpions. Evan rode large-for-his-age bicycles, played soccer with his teams, rode horses, did dirt-bike hare scrambles with his dad, swam at Barton Springs, hung with his cohort of friends, and tormented/entertained Asra and her friends on the vast third storey of their home.

Evan was a good student, but once in high school he easily found trouble. He attended part of his senior year at New Mexico Military Institute before his problem with substances became apparent. He underwent wilderness treatment in Utah and lived briefly in a sober house in Boulder, Colorado. Back home, he lived in Austin and was often on the street or in jail, but he engaged recovery for a time in a 12-step program. Evan had a strong fellowship yet needed treatment again, so he spent months in a Taos facility and then went to sober living in Asheville. There he found his people, vibrant young men in recovery, and enjoyed long seasons of sobriety.

Evan’s early recovery softened him with tolerance and acceptance. His humor was ridiculous. He embraced the best of life, good food, beautiful places, hilarious friends, all the dogs ever. Evan was very close to his mother and grandmother Anne. Both cheered on his sobriety and his success, and he knew they were always in his corner. With his mother, Evan shared a love of coffee, cats (all were “kittens” to Evan), horses, and the absurd. Evan spoke to Gma weekly, he loved her sharp intelligence, and they had laughs in every conversation.

Evan married Ansley Everett Smith on May 25, 2019. They traveled to Italy, Australia, Belize, Mexico, and Greece, and loved visiting Austin and swimming in Barton Springs. They built an A-frame in the North Carolina mountains, and they beached together every chance they got. At the time of Evan’s death, they were separated. Evan played volleyball and soccer, and the couple loved kite surfing in the waters of North Carolina and elsewhere. Asra and her husband, David, bought a house across the street from Evan and Ansley in 2022 and moved to Asheville to be closer to them.

Evan died after 30 days in treatment, but he had plans for piecing together his life for his future. He is loved by so many people, and many of them were present to lay him down gently in a beautiful wild and peaceful place.

Evan was employed as an engineering manager in Havelock, N.C. He earned an associate of arts degree from A-B Tech and a bachelor of science degree with a mechatronics concentration from the Joint North Carolina State and University of North Carolina Asheville program. Then he earned a master of engineering degree in engineering management from Vanderbilt University.

Evan is survived by his sister, Asra Anne Solmes, of Asheville (husband, David Solmes); his parents, Dana Scragg Frank, of Austin, and Raymond Edward Frank, of Dripping Springs; his grandmother Anne Bacchini Scragg, of El Paso, Texas; and his wife, Ansley Everett Smith, of Asheville.

Evan is preceded in death by his grandparents Charlotte Ann Frank, Raymond Frank, and William Harold Scragg, M.D.

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