R.I.P. Eva Miers Baldi

There is a sadness in my heart because  my daughter Eva has is no longer with us.  I will miss her terribly.   She died unexpectedly but peacefully in her sleep on January 31 of unknown causes.  Eva was living in Coushatta, Louisiana caring for the livestock for the owner of the farm there, Jerry Williams.  When I spoke about her at a memorial service on February 3^rd, I speculated that perhaps she was there with us that night knowing  that we who knew her and loved her wanted to honor her memory.

Eva will be greatly missed. She had many friends and much family.  Even though it pains me to have lost my daughter, I feel bad for all those who will miss her and who will not see her smiling face.  No one will hear her honk when she travels down the road or hear her voice yelling ‘hey’ across the parking lot.  She won’t wave at anyone again and no one will get a quick text from her to say Hi.

Eva was born in Lafayette, Louisiana and when she was in high school she moved to Many.  She was married to Tony Baldi  in 1985 shortly after she graduated from Negreet High School and reached the age of 18.  The two were married for twenty six years.  Eva and Tony have a daughter Ashley who is married to Chris Hilton living in Saratoga, TX.  Ashley and Chris have a daughter, Zoey, age 4 who can always know that her grandma loved her very much.  Eva and Tony have a son, Craig who lives in Many and Natchitoches who is not yet settled.  Craig has a son Anthony Craig Baldi Junior whose mother is Felicia Hippler Weaver.  Boo can always know that his grandma held him when he was a tiny baby and snuggled him and tickled him and made him smile.

I know in my heart that Eva has gone to heaven and heaven is a better place. She must be even now with her two grandmothers, Irene and Jane who would have welcomed her joyfully.  I know Eva has already been greeted by those who have entered before her.  Maybe she has already seen her father.  She is probably with her Aunt Marjean who loves her and her Great Aunt Georgene who'd remember her as a 4 year old.  Maybe she has seen her grandfather Homer who died when she was 3 or her step grandfather Gadget who was always good to her.  They would all be standing in line to see what a wonderful person Eva became on Earth.  Perhaps she has even seen some that she never met on earth, her great grandparents and her great Aunts and Uncles.  Perhaps she is holding a baby even as we speak or doing some other thing she loved.  At peace there without problem or pain.

Eva was one of the sweetest persons imaginable and a good friend...the kind of
person who lends a hand and always is thoughtful of those who need a little help—After his heart surgery she stayed with my own father for two full months away from home and making him completely comfortable, the two of them buds and taking care of everything, the house the bills the appointments.    When I visited her in Many,  I can remember going with Eva cleaning the church on Saturday before Sunday services.  She never forgot to go to visit Papa Tanner or Granny or Miss Betty who lived near her in Sportsman’s Paradise.  Bringing them a smile and helping with their chores.

Eva was always a good friend, the kind of friend who never loses contact with someone she cares about.  When she gets together after years and years of distance she takes up the friendship right where it left off.  In the past few days I have gotten calls from Eva’s friends in Virginia and in Louisiana and in Colorado, childhood friends who were saddened at the news of Eva’s passing who told me that Eva was full of unconditional love.

Eva lived a good life.  Even though short, it was a full life.  She was able to do so many of the things others might not have a chance to do...seeing her babies grow up and graduate from school and have babies of their own. She traveled and visited with her husband and children all across America. In spite of problems with dyslexia she took the time to read and study and after high school, Eva went back and earned an an associates degree from Sabine Parish Technical School in Many when she was older than any other student there.  I speak from the heart when I tell you that it was my pleasure to be able to get to know Eva closely during her adult life and to work with her regularly for several years and be not just her mother but her friend.  Eva enjoyed life.  She was a big person with big hair and a big smile and the biggest part about her was always her heart.  Eva gave love and allowed herself to be loved all the while that she was here with us and I for one am gladdened to have known that love from her.

Eva has been a wonderful mother and always paid close attention to how she raised and educated her kids so they'd be the kind of adults that they are today. Ashley is a wonderful wife and mother to her own husband and child. Craig has become the man he is because his mother influence.  Both of them young, their lives are full of promise, and Eva lived to see much of that promise come to fruition and to be a part of both their lives.  I know they are saddened to lose their mother but I also know that she gave them the tools to go on with their lives and to spread the goodness and caring that was Eva.

Please don’t forget Eva and her little family in your prayers.  Pray that she be welcomed into heaven to sit with her Father and find peace and respite from her problems and pains.  It’s through us that she will live on and be a part of our lives and the beauty of her soul and the largeness of her heart will always be with us.

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