Evan F. Canfield

Evan F. Canfield, loving son, brother, fiance and daddy was called to heaven on Thursday, August 1, 2024.  Born January 14, 1994 to Duane and Stephanie (Flathers) Canfield, Evan enjoyed a full life in his 30 years on this Earth.

From a very young age Evan had a passion for music and racecars.  He was often seen singing "My Maria" into the end of his jump rope, or racing his Hot Wheels around the makeshift track he created on the living room floor, wearing out the knees of his pants.  He and his brother, Bradley, would often ride their bikes in the driveway, but spent more time doing pit stops and creating pit signs than they did actually riding.  Evan first appeared on stage in fifth grade when he was cast in the elementary school production of "Give My Regards to Broadway" and he was bitten by the performance bug.  He continued to be in every musical he could while at Dryden, a total of 8, and one more in his Freshman year at Mansfield University.  He even won Best Supporting Actor at the CRT Pavilion Awards for Seussical the Musical.  He loved playing trumpet, but even more, he enjoyed singing with his friends in the backseat, Beyond Measure, chorus and Ithaca Area All State.

After music, Evan's next great love was racing.  He knew all the drivers names before he knew his numbers, loved watching his Uncle Daryl race and soon discovered watching the races from behind his camera lens.  Evan visited 89 different tracks in his lifetime, an accomplishment he was proud of, but had plans to visit so many more.  A proud member of the Eastern Motorsports Press Association, Evan won several awards for his photography and for writing, and most recently won the coveted Ace Lane, Sr. Memorial 2024 Photographer of the Year award.  He pursued photography, social media and videography as a career as EC Media, with a concentration on racing.  It was a career that had taken him up and down the east coast, and several other states further west.  He also enjoyed photographing weddings, senior portraits and family photos.  Evan never drove a racecar, but was passionate about iRacing and online racing games where he was able to connect with family and friends and foster their strong bonds.

Evan enjoyed a variety of sports, including baseball, hockey, and especially golf.  He could often be found on the course, giving his dad apples for lost balls or hunting in the woods for the last shot he took, despite the summers he spent at golf camp.  A die hard Yankees fan, one of the best family trips was their trip to Yankee stadium in 2019.  It was the perfect day for baseball.  His greatest sports passion, however, was supporting Bradley, whether it was on the basketball court, the baseball field or watching him run track.  You could span the world and never find a more supportive or proud brother.

Family was an enormous part of Evan's life.  He, his parents and brother loved to travel together, visiting Florida, Maine, Washington DC, traveling around tourist attractions throughout New York state and of course, visiting race tracks.  It was unusual to see one of them without the other three, as they were a tight knit family.  He spent many summers at home with his brother, terrorizing their mother daily and enjoying the 5th food group, candy.  Their family bond helped him to become an incredible partner to his fiance, Erika, and her little girl, Elysia.  He treasured their time together, from races to park days to camping and especially snuggles.  They toured amusement parks, race tracks and museums, and he loved experiencing the world through Lysie's eyes.  Erika was also able to get Evan on a hike from time to time, but she still struggled to get him to help with the dishes.  His kindness, generosity and heart of gold made him a positive force in the racing community, his family and to everyone that he met.

Evan lived life to the fullest, on his terms, even before he was born.  An independent soul so full of love, laughter and pranks, has left a void in the universe.  To sum up his life in just a few paragraphs is an impossible task.  As we struggle to find the reason that he's not with us any more, we reflect on his amazing smile, his happy-go-lucky attitude and his ability to look past the sadness.  We will do our best to honor his spirit.

Evan was predeceased by his grandmother, Carolyn Flathers, grandfather Thomas Flathers, "like a grandma" Mary Lou Benedict, grandfather Glenn Canfield and very close friend Ryan Ellis. He is survived by his parents, Stephanie and Duane of Freeville, NY, grandmother Bonnie Canfield of Richford, NY, his brother and sister-in-law, Bradley and Marlena Canfield of Hanover, MD, fiance Erika Bye and daughter Elysia Bye of Baldwinsville, NY, Aunt Susan and Uncle Gary Darling of Bainbridge, NY, cousins Samantha Darling of Bainbridge, NY and Russell Darling of Unadilla, NY as well as their children, Uncle Daryl Canfield and his fiance Amy Edwards of Waverly, NY, cousin Derrick Canfield of Sayre, PA, soon-to-be inlaws James and Jennifer Bye of Jordan, NY, Jessica and Erik Przychodzen and niece Raelynn of Jordan, NY, his two ride or die friends Gregg Tennant and Travis Ramono of Dryden, NY and his new puppy, Winston.

Calling hours for Evan will be at Perkins Funeral Home in Dryden on Sunday, August 11 from 2-4 pm with a funeral service to follow.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Evan's name to the Eastern Motorsports Press Association (empamedia.com) or the American Heart Association (www.heart.org).

Let's follow Evan's example with one of his favorite Dr. Seuss quotes: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."