Star Tribune

Star Tribune, October 30, 2002

Memorial mass held for Mary McEvoy

Rochelle Olson
Star Tribune

Published Oct. 30, 2002

Friends, family and colleagues spilled out of the pews and into the aisles of the 1,500-seat St. Luke's Catholic Church in St. Paul at Tuesday's memorial mass for DFL Party associate chair Mary McEvoy.

Mourners recalled McEvoy, who died in the plane crash Friday that also killed Sen. Paul Wellstone, as energetic, involved and mischievous.

Noting the size of the crowd and remembering her steadfast opposition to using public money for a new sports stadium, her husband, Jamie Cloyd, said, "Had that stadium been built that she so opposed, 'Mary, guess what? We could have christened that today.' "

His joke captured the mood of the service that was filled with songs and eulogies reflecting the warmth and humor of the 49-year-old McEvoy, a University of Minnesota child development professor and mother of three children, Clare, Becca and Luke.

A university colleague, Prof. Scott McConnell, said, "What would you do if anything were possible and you could not fail? Mary lived that."

McConnell said Mary would want him to wrap up by quoting something irreverent from a singer, probably somebody he had never heard of, sung at full volume and on key. Instead, he quoted Joni Mitchell: "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

Cloyd recalled how his wife was miserable for a while when they first moved to Minnesota from Tennessee, but then "she found her niche, and another niche, and another niche and another niche."

Her sister, Peggy McKinyen, talked about how as a teenager McEvoy joined the high school band, toted her clarinet everywhere, went to every practice, every game and became a favorite of the band parents. "The rest of the story is that Mary couldn't play one note," she said. "A little obstacle like that didn't stop Mary."

In addition to many DFL activists and legislators, the crowd included former Vice President Walter Mondale, U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, state Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe and former Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, on whose gubernatorial campaign she worked in 1998.

McEvoy was a constant campaign companion and close friend to Wellstone and his wife, Sheila, who also died in the plane crash.

McConnell noted the wide variety of people in attendance, including friends from her neighborhood, the church and her many activities. "I know that she would work this crowd and I know there are coalitions to be made," he said.

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