Evelyn Reese Hart—often referred to as one of Newport Beach’s “great dames” and “sweetheart”—died peacefully Nov. 23 after a recent stroke. She was 91.
Born Willie Evelyn Reese on Jan. 24, 1931, in Phoenix, Arizona, Hart moved to Newport Beach in the 1950s.
She served for 16 years on the Newport Beach City Council and two terms as its mayor in the 1980s.
Previously, she worked for the Newport Beach Police Department, served on the city’s parks and recreation department, and worked at her husband’s family business, Hart’s Sporting Goods, located in Newport Beach.
“Evelyn was a very generous and kind person and very into supporting her community,” Newport Beach City Councilwoman Robyn Grant told The Epoch Times….