Eve Craig

Helen Evadne Craig, 88, passed away peacefully at her home in Temecula, CA, on Saturday, July 30, 2011. Eve was born February 11, 1923, in Los Angeles, CA, to late parents Robert Gephard and Helen Jones Meyler. She was an accomplished and talented pianist and composer, and received her Bachelor of Music degree from Pomona College. Eve selflessly dedicated her life to the advancement, preservation and cultivation of the Arts in her community in every way she could.

Before moving to Temecula in 1989, she served as president of the Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery Associates, president of the Hollywood Bowl Patroness Committee and administrator of social activities for the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Associates. Eve also managed the volunteers who helped Dorothy Chandler raise millions of dollars to build the Los Angeles Music Center and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

After moving to Temecula, Eve became one of the founding board members of the Temecula Valley Arts Council, as well as serving for a term as its President, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring symphonies, live theater and all mediums of visual arts to the community. In 1994 and 1995, she was nominated for Citizen of the Year by the Temecula Chamber of Commerce. In 1996, Eve organized a program that brought Temecula's finest young musicians to City Hall to perform music before council meetings. In 1999, Eve was among the first 10 people selected for the city of Temecula's Wall of Honor, which honors individuals who've made significant contributions to the city. In 2001, she became the founding president of the Temecula Historical Society, and championed the restoration of Louis Wolf's tomb. In 2004, Eve received the North County Times Woman of Merit Award for her tremendous work in community service and the Arts. Eve also served as a board member and CFO of the Temecula Valley Film Festival, which honored her with their Humanitarian Award in 2007, featuring a video of community leaders thanking her for years of dedicated service to the Arts. Eve was also recognized in 2007 with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Temecula Mayor's Ball for the Arts.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert W. Craig and daughter, Margaret A. Allen. Eve is survived by brothers, James A. Meyler of Temecula, CA, and Robert G. Meyler, Jr., of Encino, CA; son-in-law, Steve Allen of Temecula, CA; 6 nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 10:00 AM in the Rancho Community Church, 31300 Rancho Community Way, Temecula, California. Her interment was a private family service held at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, CA, on Monday, August 8. Funeral services were arranged by Miller-Jones Mortuary in Sun City.