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She is survived by her loving
husband, Charles "Greg" Eary of 62 years. They went through elementary
school together and became sweethearts in high school in 1954. They
married in 1958, and each worked and put the other one through college.
After college they started their family. They had two sons, John S. Eary
and wife, Patti, who is more like a daughter, and grandson, John "Lake"
Eary, who was a great joy to her and always made her laugh, who live in
Mt. Nebo; and Greg S. Eary and wife Sherri, live in the homeplace in
Alderson, WV. Her step grandson, Justin, and his wife, Samantha, live in
Cottonwood, AZ.
Known as Sissy by all of the family, she is survived by three younger
sisters, Milly Grizzard (Howard, deceased) of Durham, NC, Betty Groves
(Sam) of Alderson, and Vicky Ambler (George) of Fort Spring, WV; and
several nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved very much.
Evelyn moved with her parents from Creamery to Alderson as a child. She
was raised in Alderson and graduated from Alderson High School in 1956.
She lived there until 1986, when her and her husband bought a farm in
Mt. Nebo. She began teaching at the Mt. Lookout Elementary School and
taught there for 16 years until she retired.
Everywhere that Evelyn seemed to go, people would recognize her and tell
her how glad they were to have her as a teacher or as a teacher of their
children and grandchildren in school.
At a very early age, Evelyn became involved with Johnson Memorial UMC in
Alderson. She never missed a service and was very active in the
Methodist Youth Fellowship (MYF). At the age of 15 during a revival, she
went to the alter and gave her heart to the Lord, Jesus Christ. At the
same time there was a young boy at the alter who would one day be her
husband. She was a devout Christian all of her life. She witnessed her
faith in the way that she lived and confidentially helped others. She
reflected her morals and faith into her teaching for 36 years. Her quiet
demeanor projected a sincere and thoughtful approach to whatever she
became involved. She never pretended to be something she wasn't. Her
husband described her as the most decent, honest, loving, and forgiving
person that God ever created. She had no enemies.
Evelyn graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from
Concord College, completing four years of college in three. She earned a
master's degree from WVU with a 4.0 grade average. She taught home
economics, high school english, special education, and elementary school
at different times in her career. She was qualified to teach in
elementary or secondary schools. Evelyn also taught at the Federal
Women's Prison in Alderson, becoming acquainted with the likes of the
infamous Tokyo Rose and Axis Sally.
Evelyn faithfully served the Johnson Memorial UMC for 20 years as
treasurer and when she moved to Mt. Nebo, she served Gilgal UMC for 20
years as their treasurer.
She was the originator of the Alderson Fourth of July Homecoming Banquet
and was in charge of the kitchen that fed several hundred people, until
Marjorie Lobban took it over.
Her hobbies included sewing in early life, and later ceramics and basket
weaving. She was a great cook, learning from her mother. She regularly
made sourdough bread for people and for church dinners. She wrote a
cookbook with family recipes that dated back to her grandparents.
She also wrote a family history book. Evelyn loved to shop for antiques
and to travel, visiting all 50 states and several countries.
She chose not to have a funeral and to be cremated. She didn't want
family and friends to mourn her death. There will be a memorial service
on Saturday, March 21, 2020, at 11 a.m. at the Gilgal UMC, and her ashes
will be entombed in a headstone at the Greenbrier Baptist Church after a
service in Alderson at a later date.
The family thanks her wonderful caregivers at home, Jean Brooks, Patsy
Shaffer, Shirley Hanshaw, Kathy Bennett, and Cindy Nuchols. And many
thanks to the people of Hospice: Pat, Amy, Angie, and Sonja.
The family asks in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to
HospiceCare, 1606 N. Kanawha Blvd. West, Charleston, WV 25387, or to the
Alderson Volunteer Fire Dept., P.O. Box 647, Alderson, WV 24910
Send e-condolences by emailing watersfuneralchapel@frontier.com.
The Waters Funeral Chapel in Summersville, WV, was in charge of
arrangements.
Obituary originally published in the March 18, 2020, edition of The West
Virginia Daily News. |
