A love story built to last beyond a lifetime.

Charles “LaLa” Evans and his beloved wife, Louise, shared a marriage that spanned 59 years and 11 months, nearly six decades of partnership, joy, and unbreakable devotion. When she passed away suddenly in 2011, Evans knew he needed a way to keep their story alive. To honor her memory, he transformed a section of their home into a vivid tribute — a museum celebrating their life together. Today, their powerful love story lives on through thousands of photographs displayed in “LaLa and Louise’s Place” in Starkville, Mississippi. (Source: USA Today)(usatoday.com)

A Love That Began in Youth

Evans and Louise first met as teenagers, growing up in the same school and attending the same church. One day, he offered to walk her home, an innocent gesture that would change both of their lives. He remembers her mother peering from the doorway and asking who he was, and her father reassuring her:

“That George Evans’ son? Well, boy is from some pretty good stock. He all right.”
(Source: The Washington Post)(washingtonpost.com)

Their connection deepened over the years. After a courtship filled with youthful anticipation, their very first official date was at their senior prom in 1951. Just a few months later, in August of the same year, they married. The wedding was simple — no ring, no extravagant ceremony — just two people committed to building a life together. At the time, Evans was working as a shoeshiner and even worked the morning of his own wedding. Soon after, he joined the U.S. Army, serving until 1955. (Source: NPR)(npr.org)

In 1956, they secured a loan to build a house. That home, filled with memories, remains where Evans still lives today.

Building a Life Through the Jim Crow South

The couple settled into Needmore, one of Starkville’s earliest African American neighborhoods. They built a life grounded in faith, community service, and hard work while navigating the harsh realities of the segregated South. Louise worked in cafés once integration took hold, and Evans made local history as Starkville’s first Black mailman, a position he held proudly for 30 years. (Source: Clarion Ledger)(clarionledger.com)

They raised two sons, born nearly two decades apart, and spent much of their lives advocating for their community. Together, they helped rename the neighborhood’s community center to the Needmore Community Center and even ensured a local road and a park — George Evans Park, named for Charles’ father — received official markers.

“We were always community people,” Evans explained. “That was our way of giving back.”

A Lifetime Captured in Photos

Throughout their marriage, Evans and Louise documented everything — big moments, small routines, holiday smiles, and everyday joys.

“[Louise] never passed up an opportunity to take a picture… and I don’t think I ever took a bad picture of her,” Evans said.

When Louise died unexpectedly, these photographs became the foundation of LaLa Land, the museum Evans constructed in their backyard. It was something the two had dreamed of creating together but never quite completed while she was alive.

The deeply personal project touched thousands. Word of the museum spread after Great Big Story profiled Evans, and in 2016, he appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where his story brought audiences to tears. (Source: CNN)(cnn.com)

“I’m Just Living a Beautiful Memory”

Over the years, countless visitors have walked through “LaLa and Louise’s Place” to witness the enduring love captured in its walls.

“We had such a beautiful life,” Evans once told reporters. “I got so much to remember. And I’m just living a beautiful memory.”

Now in his nineties, Evans is fighting to preserve the museum. Severe storms in recent years have damaged the structure, leaving parts of the exhibit fragile and worn.

“This is the worst shape it has ever been in,” he said. “The storms just beat it to death… it’s hard to keep up with.” (Source: WLBT News Mississippi)(wlbt.com)

Still, despite the challenges, Evans does not regret a single moment spent maintaining the memorial.

“It brings back such memories. I can come out here, reminisce, play the music we loved, and look over my past… I have no regrets.”