last update, April 10, 1999
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To some she was "Granny", a gentle lady who would give out cookies made by her own hand with a cold glass of milk or strawberries picked from her garden. If you were small, you were immediately fed and given a safe place to play. If you were big, it didn't matter what her relationship to you was, you wanted to call her "Granny", because you knew she loved you like a grandmother should. To her grandson Brian, she was ice cream cones, warm hugs, and the catcher of frogs. To her granddaughter Anastasia, she was the pink house, bonfires, beaches and sunshine. To her grandson Tim, she was Granny and more. She was primary caregiver, mother, and friend.
To some she was "Mama", the matriarch of an enormous extended family. She was "The Boss". She loved to be called "Mama Lion". To her own kids, Mary and Patricia, she symbolized love, strength of will, and was always there to help. To her step-children, she filled the roll of mother with dignity and caring. To her many "adopted" kids, her house was the place to come home to. She provided comfort, inspiration, and laughter even when there seemed like there was nothing to laugh about.
To some she was just Eve, the hostess, manicurist, and welder. To Hayden, her late husband, she was wife, partner, and his little buttercup. Friends knew they could come over to the Robinson's for a coffee, a drink, or a chat. There were always feet under her table. Meals were prepared with vegetables from her garden and chickens specially selected from the farm. Eve and Hayden would often invite friends from work or even total strangers to their house for family dinners or special occasions. Nothing was ever asked in return, except that they enjoy themselves and not feel alone.
She called herself a homemaker and was one indeed. She was famous for her bountiful table where all were welcome, and all those who experienced the smells and tastes of her hospitality also felt her love. People wanted to do things for her for just the promise of a treat from her kitchen. She was witty, charming, sympathetic, and intelligent, with a straightforward approach to life and a boundless capacity for giving of herself. She will be remembered by all of us and forgotten by no one. She touched and enriched the lives of many people, and was loved by all of them.