Evelyn WILLIAMS Obituary

Eve Williams - Happy memories

As you go through life some people make a huge impression on you and the memories stay there in your heart.
Eve Williams came into my life near the beginning of 1969 when I had just started High School. Her daughter Sherie, who was to become my best friend, invited me to go on holiday with them to South Bay, Kaikoura for a few days. What a hilarious, fun weekend that turned out to be and I was so taken with Eve. She was very welcoming and not at all like your average boring mother. From then on in I spent many happy weekends staying at their house in Burwood Road Christchurch. Eve worked at Malings Wine & Spirit showroom. She was petite in stature, dressed beautifully, always wore make-up and had lovely, manicured fingernails - not something that I was used to seeing. My mother was the stricter type, and I was not allowed to wear jeans, make-up, or go out to movies or ice skating without an adult in tow. Little did she know that I got to live a normal teenage life with Sherie on the weekends, thanks to her more liberal parents. As I mentioned, Eve was very short - they say that good things come in small parcels but so does dynamite! We knew not to cross her that´s for sure.

Derek did a lot of the cooking in the Williams´ household, but Eve made us wonderful fried egg sandwiches for Sunday brunch. She could sew beautifully and made my school ball gown and later my wedding dress and bridesmaids dresses. I felt like part of her family and was always grateful for the extra care and attention she gave me. When I got married, I moved to Stewart Island and some years later Eve and Derek moved north to Auckland, so our contact became more sporadic. We visited them at various places they moved to - Redbeach, Orewa and we turned up as surprise guests at their 60th wedding anniversary in Waihi.
Every year without fail, until just recently, I would receive a card on my birthday signed `love from Mum Williams´. She never forgot, and I will never forget her.
Marg

Eve was a lovely second mum when I was in my teenage years. We were always all welcome at the Williams house. This photo was from Derek and Eves big anniversary in 2010. Rest easy now, Eve, back with Derek again. Love from Petra, Jonathan and Connie Palmer.