I Googled her name, some Ancestry items came up, briefly, then they wanted money. Like everything else nowadays, money, money, money.
Eva was my Mother's Sister, my Aunt, who was born, raised, and lived in Marion, Indiana. I used to love to visit her in Marion, she lived in the Spencer Hotel, and was a piano teacher. She had a "flameless oven," and often cooked our meals in it. It cooked with hot bricks, slow cooked all day, some delicious stuff.
For many years she played piano for the "Marion Easter Pageant," held in Marion, early, on Easter Sunday. It used to be broadcast on WLW radio, and my Mom would wake us up early so we didn't miss any of the show where "Effie" was playing the piano.
There was one restaurant, downtown, that was always a special treat. I checked, there are now 50 or more restaurants in Marion, not sure now what the name was. How things change in ...... 60 or 70 years.
On Saturday night, when visiting her, we would find a place on the square, sit, and in no time, many of their friends would stop and talk. My Mom and Dad were both from Marion.
I am sure there are many who remember Eva Shannon, she taught many, piano.
When I was called and told that she had died, some years ago. I went to Marion, and some other nieces were there, and had made funeral arrangements. The day of the funeral, I went there, and was informed that she was to be cremated. A woman, a friend of hers, and helped here with cleaning, informed me that, "Miss Shannon didn't want to be cremated, she was afraid of it." I took over, took control. We had a nice service there, but Miss Shannon was transported to Newark, Ohio, and buried next to her parents in the little cemetery at Wilkins Corners.
There will never be a movie on her life, I am sure touched the lives of many, but she is now gone and almost forgotten. I hope this post will give her some recognition.
One more story about Eva. We lived in Dayton, Marion was 150 miles or so away. Mom had received that one of their childhood chums had died. At the last minute, they decided to go to the funeral. They knew they would be late, so they called Eva and told her to keep seats at the funeral home for them.
We arrived after a rather fast drive, hurried in to the funeral home, entered, saw Eva and made our way to the front of the crowd. My Mom went in first to sit next to Eva, then Dad, then me. My Dad reached over to shake hands with Eva. He got my Mom's hand. We had hurried and dashed over, and there were my Mom and Dad shaking hands. Eva saw it ... Well, it was one of those moments, quiet and solemn in the funeral home, but Mom and Eva could not hold back the laughter, they had to get up and leave. I got the "giggles" and had to leave also ....
Remember Eva Leah Shannon ...........
This is not Eva at the piano, but this was a signature piece of hers, have heard her play it often. I have her on a recording, an aluminum record, afraid to play it, not sure what needle it takes ...... LISTEN HERE
