Eva S. Duvernoy

Eva was born in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany, on March 27, 1932, the second child of the Rev. Paul and Mrs. Lydia Hummel. She was educated at a ladies’ finishing school and held a degree as a simultaneous German/English interpreter. Her career started out with employment at IBM’s German headquarters in Sindelfingen. She was a young independent woman in the late 1950s and early 1960s, smoking cigarettes and driving a Fiat 500.

In February 1960, she married Wolf Duvernoy, whom she had met at age 13 after his evacuation to the Reverend’s house in the village of Gerabronn to escape the allied bombing of Stuttgart during WW II - it was love at first sight.

Eva and Wolf decided to spend time in the United States in 1960 so that Wolf, who was finishing his medical training, could pursue an internship at Flower Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. Although the couple intended to return to Germany after Wolf’s internship and briefly did so, they were faced with a post-war housing shortage and less promising career prospects there. They decided to emigrate to the U.S and relocated to Detroit via the Hamburg Shipping Line. They made their home on Byron Street in the New Center Area. While Wolf completed his Internal Medicine residency at Henry Ford Hospital, the family grew as Eva gave birth to a son, Christian Ludwig, and a daughter, Claire Sybille.

Eva was a consummate homemaker and made the family her mission and full-time work. She enabled Wolf’s career and was a celebrated cook who loved to entertain. Eva was beautiful, charismatic, and larger than life, always enchanting and drawing people close to her. As teenagers, Christian and Claire attended Catholic schools in Detroit, and Eva became a 1970s Carpool Mom.

Eva always appreciated music, dating back to her early musical training as an organist in her father’s parish. Eva shared Wolf’s passion for Jazz but had a more adventurous and modern ear. They regularly attended Watt’s Club Mozambique, Baker’s Keyboard Lounge and other jazz clubs. Eva also became a supporting member of Orchestra Hall in Detroit, where she and Wolf often went as a family to enjoy classical concerts. They also supported the Detroit Institute of Arts, with its lovely Diego Rivera murals and fantastic collection. Eva and Wolf were avid travelers, and took many trips all over the world, including South America, Japan, China, Thailand, and Europe.

After a love that began in childhood and a partnership of 58 years, Eva lost Wolf when he passed away in August 2018. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Gerhard Hummel, who died in WW II, and by her parents. Eva is survived by her children, Christian Ludwig (Petra Zehetmayer) and Claire Sibylle (Frank Bogun); her grandchildren, Sophie Ottilie (Michael Lesley), Eva Louise “Lulu,” and Maximilian Bogun.

A memorial service is planned for a later date.