Edna Pauline Eagle

Service: Monday, October 7, 2013, 10:00 a.m.
Place: Church of Christ in La Junta
Visitation: Sunday, October 6, 2013, 7 - 8 p.m. at Peacock Memorial Chapel

Edna Pauline (Thomas) Eagle, 93, of La Junta passed away on October 3, 2013 at the Arkansas Valley Regional Nursing Care Center. Edna was born the last of 13 children to Frank Barton Thomas and Laura Elviry “Ella” Fish on October 22, 1919.  Her father owned a Feed Store and her mother raised her kids, worked in orchards and the cotton fields of Texas. The family helped in the orchards, weeding and picking fruit and cotton and also surviving the great dust bowl of the 1930’s in the panhandle of Texas.
She married Melvin Greer Eagle on October 21, 1939 during the Depression and Melvin always said it was so he could give her one stocking on her anniversary and the other on her birthday. This way she would have a pair. He preceded her in death on February 18, 1997.
They had two children, Ruth Ella and Melvin Carroll while they lived in Texas from 1939 to 1947. They moved to a ranch in Arlington Colorado in 1947 where they lived in a bunkhouse where Melvin ranched and Edna was a homemaker, mother and Melvin’s cheap ranch hand.  While there she acted as house mom to 8 children who had to be taken to school in Ordway.  Three moms each took a week long shift and would stay with the children in a 7 bedroom house where on the weekends they would switch. 
From there Edna and her family moved to the La Junta area where she worked for many years at the Montgomery Ward’s store as a manager in the ladies apparel department until she retired.  She helped many Otero County women find their fashions.  Her granddaughters couldn’t wait until they were big enough to fit into her fashions.
The Arkansas Valley Hospital Auxiliary was another one of Edna’s passions as she worked the bake sales and assisted patients and family for 14 years. She loved to help them in their time of need by lending a listening ear and giving a warm hug.
 Edna loved her church family where she was a lifelong member and was well loved by each and everyone.  Her Christian family was very special to her as was her lord and savior to whom she devoted her life and is surrounded by His arms at this time.  She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.  We especially thank her for teaching us how to make all of those wonderful recipes (that have no measurements whatsoever) - but most of all her infamous fried chicken…. yum yum.
She is survived by her children, Carroll Eagle of Clear Lake, California and Ruth Whorton of La Junta, Colorado; eight grandchildren, Mike Waugh, Michelle (Mark) Young, Melinda (Anthony) Marquez, Mark Waugh,  Marlyn (Mike) Forberg, Mary (Chopi) Sachez, Jennifer Eagle and Daniel Eagle; ten great-grandchildren, Brooke (James) Hollingshead, Melissa Young, Megan (Tommy) Coufal, Mitchell (Leigh) Young, Mackenzie Young, Brentley Waugh, Joey Waugh, Josh Waugh, Grace Forberg, Elizabeth Forberg and Jared Sanchez; and three great-great grandchildren,  Gabriel Hollingshead, Faith Hollingshead and Ainsleigh Young and special family friend, Vivian Nelson. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Melvin and 12 siblings, Richard, Pearl, Ira, Laura, Mattie, Frank, Joe Bailey, Nellie, Bill, Leonard (who died of appendicitis at 12 years of age) and stillborn twins who died in 1913.

 



The family will host a viewing at Peacock Memorial Chapel on Sunday, October 6, 2013 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held Monday, October 7, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at La Junta Church of Christ with Evangelist Danny Aragon officiating.