Mindy Wall Evnin, 81, of South Burlington, Vt., died on Monday, March 23, 2026, at the University of Vermont Medical Center from complications of Parkinson’s disease.
The eldest daughter of Rabbi Max and Miriam Wall, she spent her adult life in the Burlington area, where she was a steady presence in the community and at Ohavi Zedek Synagogue, where she served on the board. Earlier in her life, she lived abroad, including in Thailand and Panama, before returning to Vermont.
Mindy counseled scores of Vermonters as a psychotherapist in Burlington for decades and was deeply involved in the Burlington Boys & Girls Club. She had a variety of interests and was a member of countless clubs.
In 2003, her life was forever changed by the loss of her only child, Corporal Mark Asher Evnin, a U.S. Marine killed during the early days of the Iraq War. She remained close with his friends and their families in the years that followed, taking trips to visit them and sending them presents for holidays and birthdays.
Mindy built strong relationships across her life — with family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, Mark’s Marine buddies, trainers and others she encountered over the years. She paid close attention to people, quick to perceive what they meant and what mattered to them. Small gestures — cards, meals and messages — meant a great deal to her, and she kept in close touch with those near and far.
She was known for being direct and honest, speaking her mind and getting to the point, and for a strong sense of humor that embraced the absurd and messy parts of life — even in difficult moments.
She was predeceased by her parents; her son, Mark; and her niece, Sarah Antonoff. She is survived by her sisters, Naomi Novak and her husband, Gregory, and Shira Antonoff and her husband, Rick; her nieces, Rebecca Novak, Jacqueline Novak and Rachel Antonoff; her nephews, Jeffrey Novak and Jack Antonoff; their partners, Alison Novak, Margaret Qualley, Ernestine Carter and Chris Laker; her great-niece and great-nephew, Mira and Theo Novak; and many extended family members and friends.