JACK Mac EVOY
Memorial courtesy Charles
Petersen
Jack grew up on Hopping Avenue in
Tottenville and was a playmate for many of us during those early
years. While most of us were still struggling with The Weekly
Reader, Jack was already quoting the latest articles and editorial
from Time and Newsweek magazines. We played a lot of basketball,
baseball, golf and swam and fished in the bay near Brown’s beach.
In basketball his left handed hook shot was awkward but deadly. On
rainy days we would try to count the freckles on his arms. In high
school he was by far the most intelligent person not to graduate
with the class. He later completed his high school requirements
while serving the Army and earned a college degree from Richmond
College. He also attended St. John’s Law School. Jack married
Maureen Bailey a 1961 Tottenville High graduate. They have one son,
Sean who received his doctorate degree at Brown University and
continued his studies through a fellowship at Duke University.
Sean’s wife, Julie also earned a doctorate degree. Sean is now
involved in medical research. They have one child, Amelia who was
born January, 2008.
Jack was the owner of Strip
Quick, a paint stripping company which he established and operated
for 25 years in Tottenville. His shop was near Rollie Sprague’s
screen printing shop so the two often met and solved the world’s
problems over lunch. Declining health forced Jack to sell his
business and he passed away January 21, 1998 after a valiant battle
with cancer.
There are so many treasured
memories we have of Jack. His “fast dance” jump-and-turn moves have
often been mimicked but never duplicated. Maybe it was the way he
flailed his elbows during his jumps. What he lacked in rhythm he
made up for in enthusiasm. His sense of humor abounded. Some of
his humorous comments were above us but we knew they were funny. It
was always entertaining to watch him ordering a bottle of wine at
dinner. He would sniff the cork, swirl the wine sample, slurp a sip
and talk about the olfactory effect. The others at the table just
wanted to begin drinking but Jack had to complete his meticulous
approval process. It was a good show and a great experience for
us. His had great vegetable gardens and was an accomplished cook.
He and Maureen loved to travel and saw much of the world during
their 30 years together. There is no doubt that many of us would
have chosen him as our “phone-a-friend” were we to have been on that
well known TV quiz show. If we could call him now, we’d tell him we
still miss him.
