Eva Nell Giblin
1916 – 2015
Obituary
Eva Nell Giblin, 98, of Caney, KS,
passed away February 24, 2015, at Presbyterian Manor in Newton, KS.
Eva Nell was born August 21, 1916, in
Blackwell, OK, to Harry and Viva (Bonebrake) Braniger. She graduated
from Blackwell High School in 1934 and married her high school
sweetheart, Craig C. Giblin on September 11, 1937.
Craig's career with the Cities Service
Gas Company took the couple to Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. During
World War II, Eva Nell followed Craig all over the United States as
the army transferred him to California, New York City, Philadelphia,
and the South. Eva Nell famously drove to Alabama with an army
caravan and worked in a munitions factory in Kansas City.
After the war, the Giblin's welcomed
children Richard and Susan while living in Petrolia, KS, moved to
Saginaw, MO, and then to Caney, KS, in 1960.
Eva Nell was an avid reader. She was
active in the Cities Service Ladies Auxiliary, the Historical
Society, and the Caney United Methodist Church. She also served on
the election board for more than 20 years. The Giblin's were sports
fans. Many Caney students from the 1960's still talk about traveling
to ballgames in the back of the Giblin station wagon. The Giblin's
continued to attend every Caney High School home game until Craig's
death in 1994. They loved travel and hiking. They started camping in
1951 with an army surplus tent, later graduating to a motor home.
They camped in 45 states and several provinces of Canada, as active
members of the Kanokliners, local chapter of the National Campers and
Hikers Association. Travel also took them to Scotland and Ireland.
Eva Nell took her knitting everywhere
except church. She was famous as the "Knitting Lady,"
working while in the stands at ballgames or in a lawn chair at a
campground. She taught knitting and crocheting classes at the Caney
Center and gave most of her creations to family and friends. Hundreds
of her colorful stocking caps, mittens and scarves were given to
medically fragile children.
Beyond her radiant smile, her
intelligence, her interests and talents, Eva Nell (The Momster) will
be remembered most for her genuine hugs to anybody who needed one,
and an essence of love beyond all expectations. Her final words were
"I love you. I love you. I love you."
Eva Nell Giblin was preceded in death
by her parents, her beloved husband Craig, her sister Nina Jones, and
her brothers and sisters-in-law, G.E. Jones, Tom and Lola Giblin,
Harold and Faye Giblin, and Glenn and Idella Giblin. She is survived
by her children, Richard and Joey Giblin of Sedgwick, KS, and Susan
and David Faneuf of Joplin, MO. Her grandchildren are Amy (Frank)
Burns of Spokane, WA, and Lexi (Todd Klempner) Giblin of Seattle, WA.
Great-grandchildren are Hannah and Otto Burns, and Ila Giblin.
Eva Nell's family looks forward to
continuing the celebration of her life on Saturday, March 7, 2015, at
the Caney United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 9:00 until
10:00 AM, with the service at 10:30. Burial will be at Sunnyside
Cemetery, followed by lunch at the church. Memorials can be given to
the Caney United Methodist Church, or the Caney Valley High School
Scholarship Fund, in memory of Eva Nell Giblin, c/o Caney Community
Foundation, Inc (501c3), Arvest Bank, PO Box 36, Caney, KS 67333.
