Evelyn “Evi” Shumsky, 89, of Cambridge, formerly of Belmont, passed peacefully on April 3, 2025, after a long illness.
Born in Mattapan on April 11, 1935, Evi is survived by her loving husband Jack; sons David and wife Emily, Robert and partner Nora Madjar; grandchildren Benjamin, Elliot, Autumn, and Lyra.
Evi was the daughter of the late Boris and Beatrice Shambad, and sister to the late Laurene Levy, and sister-in-law to the late Harold Levy.
“Giving To Others” was Evi’s motto. She always deflected compliments and strove to help others. She had many gifts, including organizational skills learned from her mother and artistic talents from her father.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and Tufts University, and a Master’s in Art Education from Syracuse University. Her first career was as a gifted art teacher and Director of Art Education in the Binghamton, New York, school system. Later, she retrained for a second career in electronic, optical, and architectural drafting.
Of these many endeavors, one stands out above the others: raising a family. From the time her children were infants until she became a grandmother, she nurtured children and emphasized honesty, integrity, responsibility, generosity, kindness, and creativity, all with humor and compassion. In her Belmont neighborhood, she established block parties and community yard sales, which continue to this day.
Gifts in her memory may be made to Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts ( plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-massachusetts), WGBH ( https://donate.wgbh.org/wgbh/donate), or a charity of your choice.
Please join us at a memorial service on Sunday, June 1, from 2 until 4 p.m. at Cadbury Commons, 66 Sherman St., Cambridge.
Please bring your fondest memories of Evi to share.
If you plan to attend in person, RSVP to shumsky@comcast.net or call 617-484-2093. Parking is available on Cadbury Road and Sherman Street.
