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Evelyn Oliver, a longtime campus resident, 25-year staff member, and wife of iconic teacher-coach Ray Oliver '40, passed away March 21. She "kept the wheels of McDonogh turning," said her lifelong McDonogh family friend Q.D. Thompson in a tribute at her recent memorial service.

Q.D. Thompson:

"During much of my tenure as Head of the McDonogh Middle School, my family had the pleasure of living next door to the Oliver Family for many years.

While Ray was a hardworking and demanding mathematics teacher in the Upper School--I can definitely attest to the “demanding” part--and outstanding wrestling coach for many years, his wife Evelyn was an integral member of the Business Office staff who truly kept the wheels of McDonogh School turning.

Evelyn prepared, printed, and produced much of the materials and programs for all of the McDonogh activities and special events (Anyone care to remember the days of mimeographing?)

She was also the first voice many heard when they called McDonogh, and often she had to figure out where to send a call. (Remember the days of the classic big switchboard with all those confusing wires, plugs and holes - shudder!)

I am sure she performed many other duties as well that we really don’t know about, but behind-the-scenes she did what needed to be done. Without the successful operation of this department and Evelyn’s hard work, the wheels of the school would have soon come to a screeching halt. In fact, the McDonogh Alumni Association formally recognized Evelyn’s contributions to McDonogh with their Distinguished Service Award.

And, for Evelyn’s devotion and dedication in all of her endeavors, McDonogh School will be forever grateful."

Jim Thompson '79:

As Dad stated, we had lived next door to the Oliver Family behind the Chapel for many, many years. Actually, at times, it seemed that we were two families operating as one - Evelyn and Ray with Craig and Vicki and Mary and Q.D. with Sue and Jim. Craig - the big “cadet” that I looked up to, me mowing the Oliver’s lawn, Q.D. as Craig’s principal, Ray as my Upper School math teacher, Evelyn helping to type my school papers, us stopping by each other’s family reunions, and of course, Sue and Vicki.

Sue and Vicki became very good friends in early elementary school years. According to Sue, she and Vicki were probably closer than sisters while sharing double moms - Evelyn Oliver and Mary Thompson. I am sure Evelyn was proud that this association between Vicki and Sue continued to blossom and carried over into their adulthood and between their own families today.

Today – you know life is funny sometimes. The lives of the Thompson and Oliver families came full circle when Q.D. and his wife Ruth (a former McDonogh patron, I might add) and Evelyn and Ray became neighbors yet again – this time right here in Edenwald for about fifteen years. More recently, Q.D., Ruth, Ray and Evelyn dined together regularly. This too was special in its own unique way.

Many of you who know McDonogh are familiar with the phrase – the McDonogh Family - the community of faculty, staff, alumni, students, parents, friends and their families. Susan and I were fortunate to have grown up in a very special sub-community within the McDonogh Family - the community of faculty and staff who lived on campus – adults who were our teachers, our mentors and our neighbors – the backbone of our upbringing. We will always remember Evelyn as an essential part of our world – caring and guiding us according to our needs as we grew.

All of us Thompsons will miss Evelyn very much."