Eva Adams

Eva Adams, 95, sadly left us on October 15, 2023. Eva was born on December 7, 1927, in Butler, Iowa, to Harvey Hillis and Ollie Noel Humphreys, the 10th child born to them. After graduating from high school, Eva attended business school in Ottumwa, first working in a jewelry store there and then held several positions in Bloomfield both in secretarial and bookkeeping. She retired from her final position at the Davis County Hospital. She married Bennie A. Ritz on November 30, 1947 in Bloomfield, Iowa. This marriage was blessed with three children, Laura, Brent, and Patricia. At the young age of 25, Eva became a widow when Bennie died from injuries caused by a car accident. She remembered the night two of her brothers appeared on her doorstep to give her the news of his passing, and she spent many days just putting one foot in front of the other. She then raised her three children by herself with the help of her parents and her siblings, sacrificing much to give her children the best she could. As the youngest child, Eva was often told she was too young to participate in some activities or conversations. She and her next oldest sibling, Muriel, played together frequently and she considered her a dear friend. As an adult, she was close to all her siblings and often spoke of wishing she could talk with one or the other that was no longer with us. Having grown up the youngest in a noisy, loving household, Eva was a quiet person; but as a Humphreys, she knew how to persevere to get things done. One pastime outside of the home was bowling on a league that included some of her siblings. She was quite good – even bringing home some trophies to prove it. She loved being outside, walking daily and tending her garden to provide for her family. She also loved the beauty of nature, watching, feeding, and identifying birds, plants, and trees. She loved planting and enjoying flowers inside and out--taking courses to learn more. She shared her canned jelly, jams, and vegetables with family and friends. She entered her canned goods, flowers and her handmade grapevine wreaths and baskets in the County Fair. She also loved to watch the night sky and track the stars, planets, and the weather satellites. Her faith in God was strong and she devoted much of her free time to the Church. For years she served on church boards/committees, gave of her time, and shared her many creations with her church family. Behind the scene, she would go in alone to the church and clean the church stoves until they sparkled. Eva later married Donald Adams on July 8, 1973, who predeceased her. Eva is survived by her two daughters; Laura Ritz of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Patricia Dixon (David) of Oskaloosa Iowa. To celebrate her life, she also leaves two granddaughters, Laura Smith (Teague) of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Erin Godden (Jesse) of Bellevue, Nebraska, and 6 great-grandchildren, Eva, Teagan, Violet and Rebecca Smith, and Jaxton and Alexia Godden. They always made her smile. She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews. Eva is reunited with her beloved son, Brent, her parents, all her siblings and many nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 21, 2023 at the Wagler Funeral Home in Bloomfield with Rev. John D. Boatman officiating. Burial will be at the IOOF Cemetery in Bloomfield. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday with the family present to greet friends from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Bloomfield Christian Church. “You were a presence full of life upon this earth, and I am a witness to your life and worth.”

Eva Adams

December 7, 1927 - October 15, 2023