Evelyn Josephine Nettles, 82, was called home to spend eternity with Jesus on June 30, 2025. Born on August 3, 1942 in Sophia, WV, she grew up the daughter of a coal miner. Her family moved to the Peninsula in 1960 and Evelyn rented a room on her own nearby Hampton Roads Baptist Church (now Coastal Hampton). She began attending HRBC and gave her life to Jesus Christ and was baptized there. She spent the rest of her life loving Jesus and serving Him.

Evelyn spent 40 years in the banking industry, retiring in 2003 from Suntrust Bank. She then started her true passion job working as a Church secretary, first at Morrison United Methodist Church, and for the last 15 years at Langley Baptist Church until God took her home. She showed Christ's love to all who knew her.

She had a special love for her family, friends, and church. Evelyn loved her family with the love of Jesus. She married James K. Nettles, Jr. in 1962 and they had one daughter. Deborah Lynn was the apple of her eye and they had a special relationship for the rest of her life, talking or texting just about every day. When Jim came into the picture, he became just like a son to her. She became "Nana" in 1997 when Rachel was born and that was her favorite title. Some of her favorite gifts were "little ol' junky stuff with Nana on it".

Nana loved making meals for her family, with fried chicken and mashed potato casserole being among the fan favorites. Christmas was always a special celebration. Nana always loved getting together for the Duncan Family Christmas party. Evelyn loved her friends as well. She had a kind spirit that was easy to get to know. When you got to know her, you would see Jesus shining through her life and overflowing to you. She was a prayer warrior and when she said she would pray for you, you knew that she would.

She was way more active on Facebook keeping in touch with friends than many people half her age. She enjoyed her monthly Lunch Bunch gatherings with long time friends. Evelyn loved God's Church. She served faithfully at HRBC, serving as Church Secretary and teaching a women's Sunday School class for over 40 years. When Coastal took over HRBC due to dwindling membership, she was so excited for the revitalization that took place. She immediately plugged into a Small Group and began loving on them and sharing life together. She understood that God's Church is not the building, but the people. She lived her life with the mission to share the love of Jesus with as many people as she could. She had the privilege to use her gifts to serve in a tangible way as church secretary for over 20 years.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her father, Nelson Carl Duncan; mother, Norena Faye Duncan; and husband, James K. Nettles, Jr. She leaves behind to cherish her memory her brother, Carl Junior Duncan (Shirley); sister, Dreama Bateman; numerous nieces and nephews; daughter Deborah Lynn Sebring (Jim); grandchildren, Rachel Jackson (John), Timothy Sebring, and Hannah Morales (David); and great grandchildren, Levi, Conner, Cohen, and Lily Josephine Jackson; as well as countless friends.

We will miss Nana dearly, but are so grateful for the precious time we had with her on earth and look forward to being reunited in Heaven one day. We hope that we can follow her example of living a life devoted to Jesus and, like her, one day hear "Well done, good and faithful servant."

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Coastal Church – Hampton on July 8, 2025 at 7 pm. Family will welcome visitors between 6 and 7 pm.