Eva Lou Sturgeon's Obituary
Eva Lou Sturgeon, age 87, died surrounded by family on December 31, 2010. Born September 24, 1923, in Oilton, Oklahoma, she was the only daughter of Lura and Clifford Dunn. Her husband of over 50 years, John Russell Sturgeon, Sumner school teacher, preceded her death in 1999. She is survived by her two brothers, Jack Dunn of Bremerton (Pat) and Robert Dunn of Yakima (Betty), daughters Sandra Schwartz (Ken Schwartz) and Pam Sturgeon (Kenn Sandell) of Seattle, and grandchildren, Steven and Michael Schwartz, and Chris and Jon Sandell.
Eva Lou was an exceptional human being, gracious and giving. Although soft-spoken and unassuming, she was of strong character, displayed great patience and possessed extreme competence. She attended the University of Washington until her educational plans were impacted by WWII when she left to work at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. She married John Sturgeon in 1945, his military service taking them to Hawaii. They lived in Wapato, WA until his next teaching position took them to Sumner where they lived for over 50 years, raising their two daughters. She assisted her husband for over 40 years in bookkeeping for their construction business and many apartment buildings. Eva Lou also worked at Boeing, as a real estate agent, and was actively involved in Daffodil Club and other valley organizations for years. While she and her husband maintained a home in Sumner, in later years seeking a milder climate, they also had a home in Seal Beach, California. They traveled for many years each winter to Arizona to visit family and friends, especially to Ajo, Arizona where they both grew up. Following the loss of her husband, Eva Lou resided at Stafford Suites in Sumner and later Franke Tobey Jones in Tacoma where her zest for living and capacity for enjoyment of life and people always continued. In addition to her family, Eva Lou leaves many friends behind with wonderful memories of a generous, kind and compassionate person who was never too busy to take care of others' needs before her own. Please know that she is smiling down from heaven, thankful for every day with such wonderful people. She will miss you very much, and our family is blessed to have you in our lives keeping mom's memory alive.
A memorial service and reception will be held at Mountain View Memorial Park in the spring and at Sunrise, Mt. Rainier in the summer. The family wishes to thank the staff of Franke Tobey Jones for their compassionate care, and also to Franciscan Hospice.
What’s your fondest memory of Eva?
What’s a lesson you learned from Eva?
Share a story where Eva's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Eva you’ll never forget.
How did Eva make you smile?