Eva Boncore

Eva Mae Tolliver Kidd Boncore October 22, 1915-October 10, 2021 When I come to the end of my journey and I travel my last weary mile just forget if you can, that I ever frowned and remember only the smile.” ~When I’m Gone Eva Mae Tolliver Kidd Boncore shared her last smile on October 10, 2021, at Leewood Healthcare Center in Annandale, Virginia, a day after receiving final goodbyes from her children and 12 days shy of her 106th birthday. Full of good humor, Eva met visitors with an effusive smile and family with generous, I-love-yous. She always seemed worry-free and loved socializing, even as she remained relentlessly independent, living in her own home until four months before her death. Born in Green Cove, Virginia, Eva was the fourth of seven children. Her father, Wiley J. Tolliver, and her mother, Locky Blevins Tolliver, were farmers. Eva had to leave school in 7th grade, moving to Millcreek, West Virginia, to help care for her sister’s family. Eva married Dennis Ray Kidd on March 17, 1934 in Mount Hope, West Virginia. They had two children, Dennis Duff Kidd and Norma June Kidd Hart. They moved to the coal-mining town of Duo, West Virginia. After the mine where Eva’s husband worked closed, they moved to Northern Virginia in 1955, when she began her own career working for Melpar, an engineering and government contractor. In 1964, they moved into their home on Oakland Avenue in Falls Church, where Eva lived until June 2021. Eva’s first husband died in 1967. Decades later, she fell in love again and married Angelo Joseph Boncore on January 5, 1985 in Fairfax, Virginia. They enjoyed life, often square dancing at a local social club, taking cruises, and traveled to Greece and Spain. She lost her second husband in 1999. If you knew Eva, you knew her laugh, her giggle, and her smile. She loved to sing and dance, including line dancing at the age of 98 with her grand-daughter Diane Hart. As her mobility declined, she loved sitting on her front porch so much so that if you searched for her home on Google Earth, you would see an image with her sitting on her front porch alone. “That was her happy place. That’s how I am going to remember her. I can only imagine what a view she has now,” said her grandson, Chris Hart. Eva is survived by her two children, Dennis Duff Kidd of Florence, Alabama, and her daughter, Norma June Kidd Hart and her husband, Norman Hart, of Verona, Virginia. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Keith Kidd and his wife Brenda Kidd of Mechanicsville, Virginia; Frances Barron and her husband, James Barron of Florence, Alabama; and Kevin and his wife, Heather of Auburn, Maine; as well as Diane Hart of Roanoke, Virginia; Pamela Hart of Roanoke, Virginia; and Chris Hart and his wife, Sonya Hart, of Staunton, Virginia. Eva was predeceased by her grandson Kenneth Kidd and survived by his wife Janie. Eva is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren, including David Van Lear and his husband, Damon Wilson, of Washington, DC; Neil Van Lear of Roanoke, Virginia; and Ariya Hart of Staunton, Virginia; as well as Sarah, Emily, Robin, Carrie and her husband Will, Kevin, Millie Kate, Grace, Darby, Lillie June, Andrew, and Caitlin. From them, Eva had 9 great-great grandchildren, including Destiny Hawley and her husband, Matt Goode, of Duffield, Virginia; Harlan, Maddie, Bailey, Harper, Calvin, Keaton, Chaley, and Xari; as well as one great-great-great grandchild, Elijah Scott Goode. In her final years, Eva’s close friend Brenda Kinser visited her nearly daily. Eva also benefitted from and grew close to her caregivers, Florence Owino-Oluoch of Alexandria, Virginia and Kenya, and Lungisile “Nunu” Ntshangase of Potomac Falls, Virginia and Eswatini. Eva’s funeral was held on Sunday, October 18 at National Memorial Park in Falls Church, Virginia, where you can visit her grave. She would also be happy to know you remembered her by going dancing, playing a hand of rummy, or just enjoying a beautiful afternoon on your front porch.