Eva was born on November 28, 1926 in Bristow, OK to Daniel Virgil Williams and Cassie Mae West. She grew up in and around Seminole, OK, but spent her adult life in Wyoming, Kansas, Arizona, and 62 years in Colorado. Her birth mother, along with her baby sister, passed away when Eva was only 2-years-old. Her maternal grandmother, Annie West, was her primary caregiver during her early childhood. Dan Williams married Lilac C. Harrell, blending their families together and having five additional children. Besides raising her own children, Eva was employed in secretarial and banking occupations, even working as a telephone operator. Her last employment before retiring was with Larimer County Social Service in the Fort Collins and Loveland, CO areas. She was a detail-oriented person who enjoyed such activities as: quilting with family members, dancing, exercise classes at the local senior center, and gardening in their backyard providing annual supply of vegetables - the folks were true urban farmers! Eva enjoyed yearly family get-togethers, processing fruit from their yard full of fruit trees, and family campouts at nearby lakes. Unfortunately, the last years of her life were spent dealing with the effects of dementia and Alzheimer's.
Eva outlived both of her husbands, Darrell D. Foster and James M. Erdmann. Eva's step-brother, Bob Harrell, introduced her to Darrell during her senior year in high school. Darrell and Bob were both wounded in WWII and became friends at the military hospital in Norman, OK. In 1945, Eva and Darrell eloped in Texas before coming to Colorado where Darrell attended college in Greeley. While in Greeley, both Michael and and Paula were born. After graduating, Darrell became a school teacher in Rock River, WY. After a year, the family moved to Wichita, KS where their youngest son, William D. Foster, was born. Darrell obtained teaching positions which moved the family back and forth between Colorado and Arizona, then eventually to Fort Morgan, CO where their marriage ended. Eva and James met in Fort Morgan through friends. James was also a school teacher who had lost his wife to cancer. He had two daughters, Betty A. Erdmann and Carolyn J. Erdmann. Eva and James married in 1965, blending their families together. The family moved to Lamar, CO, and in 1972, moved to Fort Collins, CO.
She was preceded in death, not only by her parents and sister, but also by Darrell Foster in 1969, Betty Erdmann in 2007, William Foster in 2015, and James Erdmann in 2015.
She is survived by her son, Michael R. Foster; daughters, Paula R. (Foster) Clapp and Carrie J. (Erdmann) Peterson of Colorado; brother, Virgil Lee Williams of Michigan; sisters, Shama Rose (Williams) Kelsey, Violet Fern (Williams) McCaslin, Margaret Ann (Williams) Heflin, and Brenda Kay (Williams) McCaslin - all of Texas. She has 9 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren - with one on the way!
Eva was a devoted wife and mother who is loved so much and will be missed by all!
Donations to the Alzheimer's Association are welcome in Eva's honor (https://www.alz.org/get-involved-now/donate).
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