The Planos Family and The Evans at Canal Shores
A humble hot dog stand. A love of golf. A lifetime of memories.
George Planos was a man filled with energy, curiosity and generosity. From modest beginnings, he worked hard, shared his passions, served others, and created a legacy that we can all still share in today.
George was born in 1894 and came to America from the Greek island of Crete at age 13, arriving at Ellis Island speaking no English. He eventually settled in Evanston, served in the Army, and learned to cook. While working as a busboy at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, he met Theresa, a fellow employee of Mexican and Native American (Hopi) descent. They married in the early 1920’s, owned a diner called Helen’s in Evanston, built a successful life and raised three children: Joseph (Joe), Lilian (Nina) and Carol (Bebe), all of whom graduated from Evanston Township High School.
After selling the diner, George directed his energy toward what was then the Evanston Public Golf Course. Beginning in the 1960s, he operated a small food stand near the 15th hole, and George became a local celebrity. The stand became a gathering place for golfers, neighbors, and especially his grandchildren, who idolized George. He always had something delicious cooking in the crockpot, served hot dogs, candy, and cold drinks, and famously sold lost golf balls—carefully sorted by their scars and slices—from 25 cents to a dollar. His grandson Rick once planned to take over the business, until he learned in college that it was not as lucrative as it appeared. Still, he remembered it fondly: “What was not to love? Grandpa had more friends than anyone I knew.”
Another grandson, Gary, learned the game at The Evans using discarded clubs and golf balls. He went on to play golf at Evanston Township High School, earn a Chick Evans Scholarship to the University of Illinois, attend PGA school, and eventually lead the celebrated golf program at the Kapalua Resort on Maui, home to the PGA Tour’s season-opening event. Throughout his career, Gary never forgot the lessons he learned on the narrow fairways of Canal Shores. Gary also served on the Executive Board of the Evans Scholarship Program through the Western Golf Association and supported its mission of providing college scholarships to deserving caddies, much like he had received.
The game of golf and city of Evanston have been loved by the entire Planos family. George and Theresa’s oldest, Joe, was a career Evanston Firefighter and Assistant Chief, and founder of Hanson Roofing. He also played golf at The Evans several times a week after retirement, often sharing stories of his rounds with friends at the American Legion, adjacent to the course. Joe’s wife Joan led the women’s league at The Evans for more than 25 years and continued playing weekly into her late 80s. George and Theresa’s daughter Nina was married at Saint Athanasius Church before moving to California, and their daughter Carol, (Bebe McClure), continues to play golf in her 80’s, though now lives in Florida. And today, Joseph’s namesake great grandson, Joseph Sirizzotti, has started swinging a club well at 5 years old.
George passed away in 1980. In his memory, the family planted this tree near the 16th-hole tee box. Joe, Joan, and Gary have also passed away and are memorialized with trees in the oak savannah near the 11th hole.
The hot-dog stand is gone, but through the planting of native trees, the Planos’s family legacy continues to grow. For them, The Evans at Canal Shores was never simply a golf course. It was a place where family gathered, friendships grew, and generations learned to love the game. May many more generations share in those values as much as they did