She was born June 13, 1927, a daughter of the late Raymond L. and Marie (Lambert) French.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings, Myirul French, Eula Hawley, Louise Townley, Vera Dixon and Della Jones.
Survivors, in addition to her husband, include her two sons, Phillip Arnold, Timothy Arnold and wife, Lynn; daughter, Pamela Trumbo and husband, Steve; brother, Jimmy French and wife, Dorothy; sister-in-law, Irene Arnold; two grandchildren, Cheryl Reid, and husband Mike and Max Trumbo, and one great grandchild, Frankie Weeks, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 17, 2020 at the Waynesboro Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes with Pastor Derek Boggs officiating. Burial will follow in Augusta Memorial Park.
Active pallbearers will be family members attending the service.
The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
Evelyn was devoted to God and her family. As the wife of a military man who later became a minister and chaplain, she held the family close together in move after move. When her husband was deployed to Vietnam in 1967, she fought the war on the home front with grace and strength.
Throughout her life, she was never one to back down from a challenge. As a young woman, she was an athlete, playing basketball for a community team in Wytheville, VA. She knew how to have fun as well. As her children grew, she was known to run races and play badminton with her children and their friends.
As she grew older she faced greater challenges. A three-time survivor of cancer, she was undeterred by her prognosis. After her second lung cancer operation, her doctor advised her that she would probably spend her remaining years, “puttering around the kitchen.”
A decade later, she hiked up Crabtree Falls in Nelson County at the age of 74.
Evelyn was also known for her kindness, compassion and her skills in the kitchen. Her recipes remain, but her success in the kitchen is unmatched.
She will be deeply missed by her family, but her legacy of strength, devotion and love will remain a powerful inspiration.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a contribution in her name to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma, OK 73123 or by www.cancer.org/involved/donate/memorial-giving.html.
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, face masks and social distancing is encouraged for all attendees.
Relatives and friends may share condolences and memories with the family online by visiting www.reynoldshamrickfuneralhomes.com
