Eva Irene (Thomas) Dodd, 83, of Peachtree City, Georgia, passed away November 27, 2019. Eva was born on August 24, 1936 in Greenwood, Arkansas to the late Albert and Ruth Thomas. She grew up in the Greenwood area alongside her four siblings, Gene, Jimmy, Nancy and Gerald. She played on the high school basketball team and was the1953 homecoming queen of Greenwood High School. In 1955, Eva married her high school sweetheart, Delwin Earl Dodd, to whom she was married to for 63 years. They had a son and two daughters.
Delwin Dodd’s long-time career with Shell Chemical, took Eva and their three children to homes in many states around the country. The family lived in Texas, New York, California and Louisiana. Eva and her husband retired to Las Vegas, Nevada where they enjoyed 12 years of beautiful Nevada weather before their move to Georgia to be closer to family.
Eva was always active in her local community. She was an award-winning sales representative for Avon and an active Girl Scout leader for many years. She owned and operated a child development and learning center for 10 years, working tirelessly to show love and compassion for the youngsters entrusted to her care. Her church life was also very important to her and she was an active member of her church council and choir.
Eva was also a devoted wife and mother. She was very skilled at sewing and painting. She loved to cook and found great joy in cooking for her family and friends. Family was always important to Eva and she loved being able to travel back to her hometown to see her parents, siblings and her many cousins, nieces and nephews. She had a way of making anyone she spoke to feel important and loved.
Eva adored her seven grandchildren. The cross-country treks that she and Delwin took during their retirement years always included stops to see their children and grandchildren. Their other travels included visiting all fifty states and many regions of the world. The couple especially enjoyed traveling by cruise ship and sailed on all five oceans of the world.
Eva was preceded in death by her husband, Delwin Dodd and brother, Jimmy Thomas. She is survived by her children, Stan Dodd of Glendale, CA, Lori Bowler and husband, Chris of Fayetteville, GA and Tamara Kester and husband, Greg of Peachtree City, GA; two brothers, Gene Thomas of Pocola, OK and Gerald Thomas and wife, Brinda of Greenwood; sister, Nancy Carter and husband, J.H. of Greenwood; her grandchildren, Ashton, Caitlin (Connor), Christopher, Daniel (Hailey), David, Jake and Casey.
Funeral service will be 10 a.m., Saturday, December 7 at McConnell Funeral Home Chapel in Greenwood with burial at Liberty Cemetery.
