Eva Marie (Allen) Seiler, 90, formerly of Galesburg, died at 2:26 a.m. Tuesday, January 25, 2022, in MorningStar Senior Living at RidgeGate in Lone Tree, Colorado.
She was born May 27, 1931, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Galesburg, Illinois, the daughter of Bert Charles and Gladys Mae (Johnson) Allen. She married Robert E. Seiler on August 11, 1951, at the Knoxville Christian Church. He preceded her in death August 10, 2014, one day before their 63rd wedding anniversary.
She is survived by two sons, David Eugene (Rae) Seiler of Winter Springs, Florida and Bruce Allen Seiler of Denver, Colorado; five grandchildren, Monica O’Neil, Joshua (Amelia) Seiler, Eric (Celeste) Seiler, Audrey (Greg) Hamilton, and Luke (Megan Blakley-Seiler) Seiler; nine great grandsons, Riley O’Neil, Conor O’Neil, Sean O’Neil, Nicholas Seiler, Elliot Seiler, Oliver Seiler, Abraham Seiler, Wallace Blakley-Seiler, and Oswin Blakley-Seiler; and three great granddaughters, Twila Seiler, Luna Seiler, and Bellamy Blakley-Seiler. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Francis “Web” Allen; infant sister, Dorothy Allen; three half-brothers, Robert Gibbons, Clyde Allen, and Louis Allen; and a half-sister, Mary Sexton.
After graduating as Valedictorian of the Knoxville Class of 1949, Eva began working as a legal secretary. She first worked for the firm Hardy, Hardy & Hardy, then for Marjorie L. Schneider for five years. For more than 30 years, Eva worked for the law firm of Barash and Stoerzbach, before retiring in December 1996. She enjoyed being a legal secretary and learned much from those for whom she had worked.
She loved the Lord and was an active member of First Christian Church in Galesburg, serving on the Board of Trustees, the Diaconate, Secretary of the General Board, President of CWF, and Sunday School and Bible School teacher. Eva had served as president of the former Hitchcock Grade School PTA, Rylander Milroy American Legion Post 727 Auxiliary, the Knox County Council of American Legion Auxiliary, and the Knox County Legal Secretaries Association.
Eva was raised and educated in Knoxville, where she lived until after her marriage, and then lived 3 ½ years in San Antonio, Texas while her husband was stationed there in the Air Force. In 1955, Eva and Bob moved to Galesburg, where they raised their sons, and continued to live until Eva relocated to Colorado in 2018.
She and Bob enjoyed following the Galesburg Silver Streaks basketball and football teams for over 43 years, and she was a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, having learned this from her brother, Web.
Visitation will be 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, February 19, 2022, at the First Christian Church. Funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. with Rev. Martha-Jean Fitch officiating. Burial will be in the Oneida Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church. Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremation Services of Galesburg is honored to serve the family. Online condolences for the family may be left on the funeral home’s website at www.h-p-w.com.
