by Will Yurman
Eunice Tevlin laughs easily. Not a chuckle, and definitely not a giggle. Her laugh fills the space and follows nearly every story she tells.
Born in 1930, Eunice married her husband, Jim, when she was 20 and he was 21. They raised five children together. Work, and life led them from the Bronx to North Carolina and finally to Oregon in 1978.
She never went to college, going straight to work instead. But no mind she said with her laugh. “I liked making money too.”
She is quick to say life has been good to her, crediting her dad for her optimistic outlook. “He was always happy. He worked hard, but he just was always up and happy.”
Her husband died of cancer more than 25 years ago. And her five kids are long grown. “I had never been alone in my life. So a new experience. And you go with it,” she said with her laugh. She founded “Over the Hill,” a climbing club in Florence as well as volunteering for decades. She learned to be alone after a lifetime of being together. “It’s like growing a new leg. It’s reinventing yourself. It’s kind of fun.”
Eunice is such a treasure! I am so happy you found her so you could share her story!
My husband and I first met Eunice when we moved to Greentrees Village in 2000. What a delightful lady. A treasure for sure.
I have always admired Eunice’s strength and independence. My husband Tom and I met Eunice at church when we moved to Florence in 2011. She is a very special lady and was a good friend to us. Sadly, Tom passed away in 2015 and I moved away to be closer to my children.
She is the most wonderful Grandma and Great Grandma to my kiddos. We love her so much, we don’t get to see her often since we live far away but I love that she is on facebook and always sending me messages and hearts at pictures of my 3 young children. She is truly a treasure. Us and my parents and siblings gave her Storyworth for Christmas last year and she has diligently been answering questions every other day since January and we are so thankful because we have learned so much more about her. She is incredible.