Evelyn Beatrice Phelps

Evelyn B. (Donovan) Phelps (92) died peacefully on Feb. 24, 2020, at Sunrise of Arlington in Arlington, Va. She was the wife of the late Leo Edward Phelps and is survived by her two children and five grandchildren.

Evelyn was beloved by her family, her former co-workers, her neighbors and her countless friends. She possessed a joy and a wit that drew people to her. She was warm, loving, upbeat and funny. She was devoted to her children, her church -- and the Boston Red Sox. (Three World Series championships in her lifetime!)

Evelyn grew up in Dedham, Mass., and attended St. Mary’s primary school and Dedham High School. She graduated from Emmanuel College in Boston in 1949. At Emmanuel, she studied Spanish, French and Portuguese on her way to becoming a professional translator. She was a great athlete and played on the tennis team, following in the footsteps of her father who had started a racquet sports club in Dedham. She also played the piano and the French horn.

After college, Evelyn, or Evie, as she was known in Boston, worked as a translator in the international division of the First National Bank of Boston. Among other adventures, her work took her to Cuba, where she and her lifelong friend Betsy somehow ended up in a parade that was photographed by National Geographic. Later, she was selected by the federal government to translate secret transmissions regarding the Batista regime in Cuba. In her non-work life, she helped Ted Kennedy plan the victory party for newly elected Sen. John F. Kennedy Jr.

A devout Catholic, Evelyn met her future husband, Leo, through a church-related club he led. They married in 1962 and settled in Milton, Mass., where their first child, Mary-Ellen, was born. Several years later, they moved to Annapolis where Leo had accepted a job at the U.S. Naval Academy. In Annapolis, their family grew when their second child, Tom, was born. Evelyn and Leo quickly settled into a new life centered around their two children, St. Mary’s and their Admiral Heights neighbors.

That life was disrupted, though, when Leo was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease. After Leo was forced to retire on disability, Evelyn returned to the workforce, ultimately becoming an administrative assistant in the headquarters of the District Court of Maryland.

In addition to working full-time, she was Leo’s caregiver and did the lion’s share of raising their children. Despite the heavy load she shouldered, Evelyn was always there for her children’s sporting events, plays and other activities, and continued to greet the world with her loving, warm smile. Her two children are forever grateful to her for carrying the family through those difficult years and setting them on the path to happy lives.

After Leo’s death in 1982, Evelyn dove into volunteer activities at St. Mary’s and joined the choir. Upon her retirement from the District Court, she became even more involved at St. Mary’s and made dozens of new friends of all ages.

In 2014, she moved to Sunrise of Arlington. There, she again was the belle of the ball. She was everyone’s friend and known far and wide as “Perfect Evelyn.”

A funeral Mass will be held Saturday, March 7, at 9 a.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church at 109 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis. Visitation will be Friday, March 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home at 147 Duke of Gloucester Street, Annapolis.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leo Edward Phelps, and her brother, Thomas J. Donovan Jr., and sister-in-law, Eleanor J. (Egasti) Donovan, as well as her parents, Thomas J. Donovan and Ellen (Shaughnessy) Donovan. She is survived by her daughter, Mary-Ellen Deily (Robert), of Arlington, Va.; and son, Thomas (Lea), of Burlington, N.C.; five grandchildren, Matthew and Kevin Deily, and Kai, Declan and Tarryn Phelps; and a niece, Carol Copan Mora, of West Newton, Mass.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Evelyn’s memory to her beloved St. Mary’s Church of Annapolis and/or Vitas Community Connection, which provided her with wonderful care.