Mary Evans, a journalist, community organizer, and host of WYSO’s 'ReEntry Stories,' has died at the age of 42.
Her family confirmed her passing on social media this morning. Dayton Police said in an email to WYSO that they responded to Evans' home in Dayton last night around 8 p.m. because a report of a deceased person, and that the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office will determine the official cause of death.
Evans drew from her own experience as a returning citizen and dedicated her work to mentoring others and bringing humanity and nuance to stories about incarceration and reentry. Through "ReEntry Stories," a series she produced for WYSO since 2019, she elevated the voices of those transitioning back into society, often featuring people she knew personally from her own time in prison.
Evans first came to WYSO in 2018 as a Miller Fellow while attending Antioch College, where she had been enrolled in classes during her incarceration.
Shortly after her release, she told former WYSO General Manager Neenah Ellis at a career fair, “I know what I want to do. I want to give people like me a chance to tell their stories on the radio.”
Within a year, 'ReEntry Stories' launched on WYSO, and Evans remained deeply connected to the station until her passing.
Her work resonated widely in the Miami Valley and across the country. She believed that language mattered — insisting “returning citizen” was more accurate and respectful than “former inmate,” and challenging the idea of second chances when many never had a first.
“She was really clear about correcting people but generous, always kind,” Ellis said
Born in Gallipolis, Ohio, on June 23, 1982, Evans moved to Dayton after her release and quickly became a central figure in advocacy and media.
She contributed to numerous WYSO projects, including "Loud As the Rolling Sea," "West Dayton Stories," and "The Ohio Country." Recently, she was named a Kettering Foundation Democracy Fellow for her work on voter registration for formerly incarcerated citizens.
Evans also served as a site coordinator for Wilmington College’s prison education program and co-founded the Dayton Journalism Lab.
Her stories were among the most listened to on WYSO’s website, often inspiring listeners to donate during membership drives after hearing her voice.
In an email to the organization's staff, boards, and hosts, WYSO General Manager Luke Dennis wrote: "It is devastating to lose this vibrant and active member of the WYSO family."
Evans was also a devoted mother, mentor, and self-described change-maker.
“It wasn’t just political for Mary,” Ellis said. “It was personal.”
Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced. WYSO plans to share her final, yet-to-be-aired piece in the coming days, alongside a fuller tribute both on-air and online.
Details about public memorials or celebrations of life will be shared as they become available.
You can listen to ReEntry Stories and other work by Mary Evans at https://www.wyso.org/mary-evans
