Mary W. Evancevich, age 73 of Babbitt, passed away on Sunday, February 8, 2009 at the Ely Bloomenson Community Hospital. She was born on June 9, 1935 in Hibbing to Charles and Frances (Haley) Keinath. On June 28, 1952 she married John Evancevich in Kelly Lake. Mary loved to cook and entertain, her home was always open to all the kids that came and no one ever left hungry because there was always plenty to eat. She was very active in kid's sports and the Babbitt Blueline Club. She traveled everywhere to see the kids play sports. Mary was "Mrs. Hospitality" of the Northland. She was the backbone of the early Babbitt Peter Mitchell and Annual Labor Day Picnics. Mary was a businesswoman who started Bobby John's and the Gossip Bench, was a member of the Babbitt Businesswoman's Organization, the Ely Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion Auxiliary and V.F.W. Auxiliary, the Ely Moose Club, an early member of the Babbitt bowling league, St. Pius X- C.C.W. Mary, for many years, worked as a medical aide and nursing assistant, as well as cleaned the Babbitt Clinic. She loved to fish, camp, spend time at the cabin, but what was most important to her was her family and grandkids who always came first.
She is survived and sadly missed by her family, Chuck (Brenda) Evancevich of Babbitt; adopted son, Gary (Marsha) Lehrman of Colorado Springs, CO.; 7 grandchildren, Cassie, Carly and Brandon Evancevich, Nicole Dalton, Derek Evancevich, Amanda Revord, and Maggie Lehrman; numerous nieces and nephews; and special friends, Fauna Aho, Eunice Przybylski and Shirley Przybylski.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, John; her son, John, Jr.; and a brother, Chuck Keinath.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Babbitt with Father Bill Skarich and Father James Scheuer co-celebrating. A gathering of family and friends to celebrate Mary's life will be held at the church one hour prior to the service on Thursday.
Family services provided by Kerntz Brothers, A Bauman Family Funeral Home in Ely. To share a personal remembrance of Mary online, please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com.