It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Sheldon Evans on April 27, 2026. Through his service on our Board of Directors and the Fund for Columbia County, Evans fostered enduring progress on several issues he was passionate about, including food access, early education, and protecting nature.
Evans came to serve at the foundation in 2013 in two key capacities. He joined BTCF’s Board of Directors (serving through 2020) and the advisory committee of the Fund for Columbia County (FCC), serving through 2024. During his eleven-year term on FCC’s committee, he helped guide support to several nonprofits advancing community-strengthening initiatives. Programs addressing youth development, economic equity, the environment, the arts, education, health, and social services were funded.
Kara Mikulich, President of Berkshire Taconic, shares that Evans, “brought a rare and wonderful combination of qualities to his roles as board member, committee volunteer, and donor—he was thoughtful, smart and strategic, as well as humble, gentle and caring. Those of us who were fortunate to work with him will treasure memories of his kind and generous presence.”
Evans’ civic-minded perspective extended to his work outside the foundation. His love of nature translated into 23 years of service on the board of the Columbia County Land Conservancy, an organization he co-founded. He took pride in his collaboration with them on two books: Walks by Protected Land in Columbia County (2011) and Columbia County Outdoors (2012).
Evans shared a home in Ghent, New York, with his wife Martha McMaster, who survives him, along with two daughters, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Beloved, engaged leaders in their community, Sheldon and Martha worked closely with Emily Bronson, BTCF’s Senior Community Engagement Officer for Initiatives & Special Projects, for over a decade. Bronson shares, “Learning from and working with Sheldon has been a true gift. Sheldon was incredibly generous, deeply curious, had an extremely sharp mind, and brought a compassionate and humble approach to his philanthropy. I miss him and look forward to carrying his legacy forward with Martha."
We extend our deepest condolences to Evans’ family. We are immensely grateful to Sheldon Evans for his service to the foundation, and his dedication to the residents of Columbia County. We are honored to have been a part of his legacy of compassionate, careful stewardship of his community, which will be felt by generations to come.
