John Joseph Evangelist

Age 60 of Mahtomedi, MN

John was suddenly taken from us after suffering from a blood clot to the heart. He went peacefully in sleep Thursday morning.

John was born April 14th, 1957 in a snow storm in Minneapolis, MN to John and Beverly Evangelist. He joined his sister Lynnette in their home in Nordeast Minneapolis. He attended St. Anthony of Padua grade school and graduated from Edison High School in 1975.

In the spring of 1977 he met the love of his life, Dawn and began a long period of getting to know each other. 13 years later they were married on the St Croix River on July 29, 1989. They lived happily in Mahtomedi, MN and enjoyed time at their cabin on Mille Lacs entertaining family and friends.

He went on to study machining which led him to a job at FMC, for 17 years. He continued his machining at Northwest Airlines/Delta. During his time there he moved to safety/technical training, where he found his true passion. After 19 years he left Delta and found himself with time on his hands. This led him to find a spot at “the farm”, where he could pursue his newly found green thumb, cultivating both his peppers and friendships. Most recently he was back in the airline industry doing technical training at Compass Airlines.

Another important part of John’s life was helping people as a firefighter/EMT for Mahtomedi Fire Department for 11 years.

John also really loved any occasion to be in a boat fishing or in a field hunting. His passion started early in life with his father as his first hunting buddy. He also enjoyed trap, skeet and sporting clays. This included John’s annual “We Missum Too!!” sporting clay invitational, which he hosted for the last 16 years every March. His greatest hopes for the shoot were to get younger kids involved and bring the next generation into the sport he loved so much. But he also looked forward to the fellowship with friends and making sure they left with a full stomach.

His happy place was up at their cabin on Mille Lacs, on the same land his dad bought when John was a kid where he spent many happy summers.

John formed many friendships in many different aspects throughout his life. He cultivated friendships with the people who’s path he crossed and or shared the same passions as him. It is what made his careers and hobbies so much more meaningful.

He was an “unbelievable “ Master Chief, carpenter, prankster, and passionate about causes and people he felt he could help and had the biggest heart for his loves.

Visitation MONDAY from 4 -6 with service at 6 PM at MUELLER MEMORIAL, WHITE BEAR LAKE, 4738 Bald Eagle Ave. at 3rd St., White Bear Lake. Reception follows service.

John is survived by: loving wife Dawn and his best hunting partner Dakota, mother Beverly Evangelist, sister Lynnette Buckley, mother in law Judy Belisle (Bob), sister in laws Denise Bednarek (Dave), Lori Branigan (Dave), brother in laws Brad Harrison (Wendy), Scott Harrison (Missie), nieces and nephews Will Buckley, Kaitlin Buckley, Taryn Bednarek, Tony Bednarek, Kristi Weigel (Tim), Brenda Richardson, Brandon Harrison, Courtney Popenberg (Nick), Cody Harrison and Randy Harrison.

He is preceded in death by his father John Evangelist, brother in law Jim Buckely and father in law Arnie Harrison.

MEMORIALS CAN BE MADE TO:

Mahtomedi Youth Shooting Sports, PO Box 443, Willernie, MN 55090. Search for their Facebook page, Mahtomedi Trap or contact Bob Goebel at Mahtomeditrap@gmail.com with questions.

OR

Pheasants Forever, Inc. at http://pheasantsforever.org/Habitat/Build-a-Wildlife-Area.aspx (Please note for John Evangelist Memorial. Any checks can be mailed to the following address; Pheasants Forever Inc., 1783 Buerkle Circle, St. Paul, MN 55110)