Mara Ezernieks Evans

Mara Ezernieks Evans

Mara Ezernieks Evans, 67, of Charlottesville, Virginia, died on Saturday, October 2, 2010, at Hospice House.

She was born on February 23, 1943, in Gulbene, Latvia, the daughter of the late Janis and Anna Kesners Ezernieks.

Mara and her family immigrated to the United States when she was five years old to Strayhorn, Mississippi, moved to Halls, Tennessee, and finally settled in Memphis, Tennessee. She became a Naturalized Citizen at 13 years old and completed high school in 1961at East High School. She worked for several years as an EEG Technician at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and retired as an Executive Secretary in the banking industry and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia. When crossing the Blue Ridge Mountains at Afton Mountain, Mara proclaimed her new home was the most beautiful place in the world. After establishing our new home she immediately joined the Virginia Master Gardeners' Program. After completing her training she received Letters of Appreciation for working on new Master Gardener Training programs, being a Mentor, a Service Award for volunteering more than 2,000 hours, and earned Master Gardener of the Year for 2004. She received a Letter of Appreciation from the Jefferson Area Board for Aging for her time and caring of their horticulture therapy program and the Healing Arts Garden. Additionally she broadened her learning by completing the Tree Steward Training given through the Virginia Department of Forestry.

Mara loved her adopted country, her family, especially the grandchildren and anyone who wanted to talk, learn, or know anything about gardening. She was proud to be of Latvia descent and was always ready to celebrate and share all Latvian customs. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile, wonderful personality, always offering encouragement and never letting anything get her down.

She is survived by her husband Hayward D. Evans of Charlottesville, Virginia; and her two children, her daughter, Jennifer Tomes and her husband, Keith, of Memphis, Tennessee, and their three children, Sydney Brittain, Sadie Braxton, and Summer Bronwyn; her son, Gregory King and his wife, Bonnie, and their two children, Anna Leigh and Skylar Ross of Memphis, Tennessee; her brother, Uldis and his wife, Linda, of Alexandria, Virginia, and their two children, Kevin and Vanessa. She is also survived by her special cousins, Maruta Krastins and her husband, Evars, Juris Jurbergs and his wife, Gunta, both of Memphis, Tennessee, and Atis Jurbergs and his wife, Diane, of Chicago, Illinois. Special friends in her life were Elsa Powell and Wanda White, both of Memphis, Tennessee. Other special friends were Tom Walsh, Dr. Sue McCoy, Charlotte Herbert, Margie Giuliano, Suzanne Drinkard, Larry and Elizabeth Randall, M. Adamson, Grif and Jane Ann Griffis and many of the other Master Gardeners for their friendship and support the last several months.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to Doctor Susan Modesitt, Doctor Melissa Henrietta, RN, Jana Briedis-Ruiz, cancer coordinator, entire University of Virginia Oncology Department, entire staff at the Infusion Center at University of Virginia Medical Center; nurses, Mary Dillon, Kathy Roach, Suzanna, Sara and Ann with Hospice of the Piedmont and nurses, Lori Connolly, Wendy and Amber and the entire staff at the Hospice House.

A memorial service will be held 12 p.m. Tuesday, October 12, 2010, at the Chapel of Hill and Wood Funeral Home, 201 North First Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to the Hospice of the Piedmont, 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22911.

Friends may send condolences to the family at www.hillandwood.com.


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.