Eva Louise French was born on April 15, 1927, to Thearon E. and Gladys I. French in Carlton, Kansas. She spent her early years growing up on the Cornell Ranch in Carlton. She also attended Carlton Grade School before moving to Abilene, Kansas as a teen. There she attended Abilene High School.
Eva united in marriage with Jesse Dean Bogart on October 27, 1946, in Abilene, Kansas. Their union was blessed with two children, a son Steven and a daughter, Rhonda. Dean and Eva raised their family in Carlton before moving to Abilene in 1966.
Eva worked for many years at Ben Franklin 5&10 Cent Store in Abilene earning $1 an hour. She always said she really enjoyed meeting and visiting with people during her time there, but when an opportunity arose for Eva to make more money, she accepted a position with Westinghouse Lighting in Salina. While the work was hard and the hours were long, some of her coworkers became close, lifelong friends. Among those were Sandy Patee, Juanita Anderson, Carol Pfeiffer, Carol Cadillo, Marlene Nelson, Alice Ryan, Mary Kay Kuntz and Phyllis Gardenhire.
In 1976, Dean and Eva moved to Salina, Kansas to be closer to work. They became next door neighbors to the son of Eva’s best friend from Carlton, Duane Hobson. Eva’s family always felt the comfort of knowing that Duane was just next door. He stepped up to the plate many times when Eva’s family was too far away. They will be forever grateful to him for all the assistance he provided at a moment’s notice. Eva also began making a weekly trip to The Corner Cottage hair salon in Salina where Sarah Duffy styled her hair for the next 43 years. They too became lifelong friends.
Eva retired from Westinghouse (Phillips Lighting) in 1989. Her remaining years were spent enjoying some of her favorite hobbies which included crocheting, fishing and playing with her 5 grandchildren, Libby, Thearon, Kasey, Kris and Kelly and her 13 greatgrandchildren.
Eva is preceded in death by her husband, Jesse Dean, son Steven, daughter-in-law, Anita, grandson Kody, her parents and 4 brothers and sisters. She is survived by daughter Rhonda Goodin (Mike) of Derby, Kansas, granddaughter Libby Wray of Newton, Kansas and grandsons, Thearon Wray (Jamie) of Oxford, Kansas, Kasey Bogart of Salina, Kansas, Kristopher Bogart (Katie), of rural Abilene, Kansas, Kelly Bogart (Kayla) of rural Abilene, Kansas and her 13 greatgrandchildren. She was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.
Funeral Services for Eva will be 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at Danner Funeral Home in Abilene with Pastor Lindsey Brummer officiating. Burial will follow at the Abilene City Cemetery. Friends may come by Danner’s any time Tuesday until service time. The family suggests memorials be given to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Memorials may be dropped off or mailed to Danner Funeral Home, 501 N. Buckeye, Abilene, Kansas 67410.