Eva Shirley Skolnik-Acker

Her parents were Julius and Esther Skolnik. She grew up in Forest Hills, New York. She attended Boston University and New York University as an undergraduate, and graduated from the University of Tennessee with a Masters Degree in Social Work. She married David B. Acker and had two sons, Michael and Joel. Eva was a licensed social worker. As a private practice social worker, she counseled families, couples, individuals and children, assisting countless people to improve their lives and relationships. Among her professional roles was as Professional Clinical Social Worker at Walpole prison, providing counseling services to incarcerated individuals. She was named Social Worker of the Year by the Massachusetts National Association of Social Workers (NASW). She was the Chair of the NASW Committee for the Study and Prevention of Violence Against Social Workers. An expert in de-escalation, she wrote procedures that were signed into legislation concerning safety practices for state agencies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

She was a deeply beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother, cousin, aunt and friend, fiercely committed to her family and friends, to social justice and civil rights; she was a leader, a healer and a protector. Her life was an example of, and a lesson in, kindness, thoughtfulness, scholarship, listening, teaching, and love. A uniquely decent and good person, she will never be forgotten, and lives on through the countless lives she touched.

Eva died peacefully of Alzheimer’s disease at age 77 on April 28, 2023.

She is survived by David Acker (husband); Michael and Stacy Acker (son, daughter-in-law), Joel and Tara Acker (son, daughter-in-law); grandchildren Olivia, Charlie, Madeline and Adam Acker; nieces, nephews, cousins, and her beloved friends.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, May 3 at 10:00 AM at Stanetsky Memorial Chapel, 475 Washington Street, Canton, MA. Livestream at https://tinyurl.com/EvaSkolnik-Acker2023

Interment at Sharon Memorial Park.