Evelyn Wilson
American judge (1959–2026)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Evelyn Zabel Wilson[1] (December 6, 1959 – April 4, 2026) was an American judge who served as a justice of the Kansas Supreme Court.
Evelyn Wilson | |
|---|---|
| Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court | |
| In office January 24, 2020 – July 4, 2025 | |
| Appointed by | Laura Kelly |
| Preceded by | Lee A. Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Larkin Walsh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 6, 1959 Smith Center, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | April 4, 2026 (aged 66) Topeka, Kansas, U.S. |
| Education | Bethany College (BA) Washburn University (JD) |
Education
Wilson graduated from Bethany College in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in business and from Washburn University School of Law in 1985.[2]
Career
Judicial career
State court service
Wilson served Shawnee County as a District Judge from 2004 until her appointment as Chief Judge in 2014.[4][2] She was reappointed Chief Judge in 2017.[5]
Kansas Supreme Court
Wilson was one of 17 applicants to apply for the position.[6] On October 19, 2019, the Supreme Court Nominating Commission submitted Wilson's name, along with two others to the Governor.[7] On December 16, 2019, Governor Laura Kelly appointed Wilson to the seat on the Kansas Supreme Court vacated by the retirement of Lee A. Johnson on September 8, 2019.[2] She was sworn in on January 24, 2020.[8] She resigned on July 4, 2025.[9]
Personal life and death
A native Kansan, Wilson was born in Smith Center, Kansas, on December 6, 1959.[2][10] Wilson and her husband, Mike, were members of First Lutheran Church in Topeka, where she also served as a Stephen Minister.[4]
Wilson was diagnosed with ALS at some point prior to her resignation from the Kansas Supreme Court in 2025.[9] She died of complications from this illness in Topeka on April 4, 2026, at the age of 66.[11][12][13]
