[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 160 (Tuesday, September 30, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Page S6871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING EVAN C. BERQUIST

  Ms. SMITH. Mr. President, in May, Minnesotans suddenly lost Evan 
Berquist, of St. Paul. His kindness and thoughtfulness touched the 
lives of so many people in Minnesota and around the world who miss him 
dearly. I wish to extend my deepest sympathy to his family and loved 
ones as they continue to mourn his passing.
  I ask unanimous consent that his obituary be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:


                       Evan C. Berquist Obituary

       St. Paul--Berquist, Evan C. 43, a beloved husband, father, 
     and son, died unexpectedly on May 9th, 2025. Evan was born in 
     St. Paul, MN to Alice and Charles Berquist on January 27, 
     1982. From the very beginning, Evan was a thoughtful, kind, 
     intellectual, and fun person with an uncanny knack for 
     connecting with people. He was the best older brother to 
     Blake Berquist, constantly playing with, picking on, guiding, 
     and supporting him. He graduated from St. Paul Academy before 
     going to Colorado College, where he studied history and 
     Spanish and graduated with honors. Evan met his wife and best 
     friend, Laura K. Berquist (nee Walski), during a college trip 
     to the Pacific Northwest. It was obvious they were going to 
     be partners for life from the start. They formed a deep 
     connection, exchanging handwritten love letters at a time 
     when communicating by email and text message was prolific. 
     Evan and Laura supported each other through first jobs in far 
     flung places, graduate and law school. They married in August 
     of 2010. After college, Evan leaned into his love of language 
     and adventure. He worked at a hot dog factory in Costa Rica 
     and then at a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, supporting 
     democracy strengthening programs in Latin America. Evan 
     attended Stanford Law School in northern California and 
     clerked for a federal judge in Puerto Rico. It was in Puerto 
     Rico where Evan and Laura had their son, Tim. They enjoyed 
     exploring the island together and taking life slowly. Work 
     opportunities brought them back to St. Paul, where they 
     welcomed their daughter. Sasha. Evan loved Tim and Sasha with 
     all of his heart. He was never happier than when reading with 
     Tim and talking about the wide world. They were fierce 
     wrestling competitors in the swimming pool. Evan cherished 
     and supported Sasha's creativity. He and Sasha could often be 
     found working together on imaginative writing, self-
     publishing many stories and humorous cartoons together. Evan 
     admired Sasha's joy for acting and was so proud watching her 
     perform. In the evenings, Evan and Laura would get lost in 
     long conversations, often staying up too late in the process. 
     They connected over long walks with their dogs, Tilla and 
     Penny. Evan continued his career in Minnesota, working in 
     private law practice for the next 12 years, most recently for 
     Maslon LLC. He dedicated significant time to his pro bono 
     work, helping many organizations in the Twin Cities, and was 
     recognized for his important work with many accolades. In his 
     free time, Evan appreciated simple times with loved ones. 
     Golfing with his mom, brother, and friends. Taking trips. 
     Teaching his kids how to bodysurf in big waves. Evan was 
     always reading--devouring any book, newspaper, or magazine in 
     sight. Evan faced chronic pain with quiet determination for 
     most of his life, confronting it privately through research, 
     physical therapy, and medical protocols. In recent months, 
     Evan endured difficult injuries, his health challenges 
     intensified, and his mental health suffered. He sought help 
     and worked tirelessly to get better. Despite his courageous 
     efforts and the devoted support of his family, Evan's illness 
     and pain became too much to overcome. Through it all, Evan 
     remained a loving father, playmate, and partner to Laura, 
     Sasha, and Tim. He will be dearly missed and loved forever. 
     Evan is survived by his loving wife Laura Berquist and two 
     children, Tim and Sasha Berquist; parents Alice and Charles 
     Berquist, brother Blake Berquist (Andrea Larson) and many 
     family members and friends whom he loved. Service details 
     will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, donations in Evan's 
     memory can be made to the Berquist Family. Laura, Tim and 
     Sasha will spend time talking about Evan's big heart and 
     commitment to service and carefully choose charity recipients 
     in his name.

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