Evan Thomas Dechaine

Evan Thomas Dechaine, age 38, of St. Paul, MN, passed away suddenly from a heart attack on September 16, 2026 at his apartment in St. Paul. He is survived by his mother, Debra; his brothers, Zachary and Colin; and his stepfather, Jeffrey.

A Celebration of Evan's life will be held at 2:00 PM with Gathering from 12:30 - 1:45 PM on Friday, October 2, 2026 at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation (833 Marschall Rd, Shakopee, MN). He will be laid to rest at Valley Cemetery in Shakopee.

Please wear your favorite sports jersey or apparel in honor of Evan!

Evan was born December 24, 1987, in Shakopee Minnesota, to Thomas and Debra Dechaine. He graduated from Shakopee Senior High School in 2006 and went on to graduate from The University of North Dakota in 2010. He made lasting bonds at school and work, from the Chanhassen Dinner Theater, to the Valleyfair Games Department, to Dart.

Evan truly took after his late father, who always loved to say “Keep That Smile.” Evan lived out that sentiment wholly. Wherever he went, laughs were louder and more frequent. He possessed a remarkable ability to make friends with anyone, from Uber drivers, to strangers at a bar, to anyone else he crossed paths with.

He loved many things in life, but standouts include Minnesota sports, North Dakota hockey, exploring cuisines, good drivers that understood zipper merging and using the left and right lanes how they were supposed to be used, Comedy, prestige TV such as the Sopranos or The Wire, betting on fantasy football leagues, his cat Cleo, kickball league, quoting Always Sunny, live music, sending the perfect gif, cooking up a delicious meal for others, taking solo trips, and holding a beer stein longer than anyone else in the room.

When it came to others, Evan valued their happiness above his own. If others were having a good time, Evan had a good time. If others enjoyed the food he cooked, Evan felt deep satisfaction.

Evan will be missed immensely by his family, his friends, his coworkers, and all who shared a laugh with him.

Please honor Evan’s legacy by putting others ahead of yourself, opening your heart to the possibilities of turning a stranger into a new friend, and by keeping the laughter going. We believe this is a message he would get behind wholeheartedly.