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Born in New York City to Aloysius William McEvoy of Hanover, Pa., and Linda Callahan of Bethel, McEvoy grew up in Jackson Heights, Queens and lived most of his adult life in Brooklyn.
For more than 25 years, he worked for the Guilford Press in New York City. Always the ham, it is no surprise that through the years he was involved in the theater and was the co-founder of "The Improvoholics," an improv group that performed throughout New York.
Later in life, he was lucky enough to meet the love of his life, Carrie Swadener, and the couple married on May 15, 2010. They made their home in Norwalk and became congregants of The Unitarian Church in Westport.
It was there that McEvoy found his long-sought spiritual home and after giving a few well-received sermons, he made the life-altering decision to dedicate himself to spiritual leadership.
At the time of his passing, he had nearly completed the Master of Divinity program at the Meadville-Lombard Theological School in Chicago and for the past year has served as Intern Minister at the First Unitarian Society of Westchester.
McEvoy lived according to his own terms, unapologetic for his views and beliefs, yet always listened with an open mind. He would want his life to be celebrated with laughter and joy rather than sorrow and tears by those who knew him. And he would tell them so with a tip of his hat, a stroke of his whiskers and that familiar impish gleam in his eye.
McEvoy was a friend of our President, Ted Yang, who is also a trustee of the Meadville-Lombard Theological School that William attended. "I will miss William and the talks we had, both serious and not-so serious. I wish that others could have shared his wit, his laughter, his intelligence and his light. We lost a great voice in his passing." added Yang.
In addition to his parents and wife, he is survived by his brother, Brian McEvoy and wife, Nicole of Wallingford and their children, Ryan, Megan, Kiersten and Brendan; and his sister, Kerri McEvoy Monsen and husband, Rob of Bethel and their children, Ian and Caileine.
A memorial service to celebrate William’s life will be held on April 6, at The Unitarian Church in Westport with the Rev. John Morehouse officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Meadville Lombard Theological School or The American Heart Association would be appreciated.
The Shaughnessey Banks Funeral Home in Fairfield has been entrusted with the arrangements. To send an online condolence, please visit www.shaughnesseybanks.com.
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