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November 10, 2008

PNS reporter Evan Silverstein dead at 42

Died at home, apparently of natural causes

by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service

LOUISVILLE — Evan Silverstein, a veteran reporter who served the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for 10 years as senior reporter for the Presbyterian News Service, died Nov. 9 in his Louisville home, apparently of natural causes. He was 42.

Evan Silverstein, “on assignment” at the Great Pyramid in Egypt.  Photo courtesy of Presbyterian News Service

A Louisville native, Silverstein graduated from Atherton High School and the University of Kentucky. Before going to work for the Presbyterian News Service, he worked for a number of newspapers including the Louisville Courier-Journal, the Lexington Herald-Leader and the Elizabethtown (KY) News-Enterprise.

Joining the Presbyterian News Service staff in the fall of 1998, Silverstein quickly established himself as an award-winning journalist, scoring several Associated Church Press awards for coverage of such PC(USA) stories as disaster relief, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, myriad judicial cases and human interest stories about interesting and inspiring Presbyterians. He was a fixture in the General Assembly Communications Center and traveled extensively overseas for the PC(USA).

And though he was Jewish, Silverstein displayed a far better understanding of and appreciation for the mission and ministry of the PC(USA) than many Presbyterians.

He is survived by his parents, Nanette and Mark; his sister Betsy and brother-in-law Mark Prussian; two nieces, Dana and Dorrie; and a huge extended community of family and friends. Funeral service is set for Tuesday, Nov. 11 at Herman Meyer and Son Funeral Home in Louisville.

The Presbyterian Hunger Program has established an Extra Commitment Opportunity account, “Evan Silverstein Memorial Fund” (Acct. H-000004) and all contributions to the fund will support the ongoing work of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a PC(USA)-supported organization which seeks to improve wages and working conditions for Florida farm workers and to put an end to slavery in Florida’s agricultural fields.