Eveline Pheanis

Eveline Pheanis, 99, of Eaton, Ohio, passed away Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Reid Health in Richmond. She was born January 28, 1926, in Eaton, Ohio, the daughter of the late Henry H. and Esther B. (Mann) Showalter.

Eveline lived a long, meaningful life shaped by independence, curiosity, and caring for others. Just shy of her 100th birthday—she would have turned 100 in January 2026—she remained thoughtful and perceptive, with a great sense of humor. She believed in living simply and independently. She lived in the same home she and her husband built in 1962 and remained there until her passing. Always curious and ahead of her time, she taught herself to use computers in their infancy and became an enthusiastic early adopter of technology. The values of self-reliance and independent thinking guided her life and were passed on to her children.

Eveline was a 1944 graduate of Eaton High School and the Reid Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. After raising her family of five children as a stay-at-home mother, she began a second career in nursing, first as a Licensed Practical Nurse and later as a Registered Nurse. She worked at Reid Hospital and area nursing homes and retired from McCullough-Hyde Hospital in Oxford.

She loved gardening and filled her yard with trees and flowers, but her greatest joy was the large vegetable garden she planted and tended every year well into her 90s. She also loved cooking and baking for her family and was especially known for her homemade pies.

One of the most defining experiences of Eveline's life was caring for her husband at home during his battle with Alzheimer's disease. Through that experience, she became committed to helping others facing the same challenges. She ran an Alzheimer's chat group and spoke publicly about the disease. Later, she created a blog and online chat room to support caregivers and authored a book based on her firsthand experience caring for her husband through his Alzheimer's struggle, offering insight, understanding, and practical guidance to others.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lowell Scott "Red" Pheanis, in 2003; her children Peggy Diane Deeter in 2023 and Susan B. Kristoff in 2014; her daughter-in-law Janet E. Pheanis in 2020; and her siblings Bernard E. Showalter, Violet E. Showalter, Albert H. Showalter, Rosie E. Weir, Hazel L. Fowble, Orville E. Showalter, Howard S. Showalter, Harold H. Showalter, and Robert W. Showalter.

She is survived by her children Robert A. Pheanis, Stephanie Riffle, and Linda (Daniel) O'Grady; her grandchildren, great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A private graveside memorial service will be held at Mound Hill Cemetery. Arrangements have been entrusted to Barnes Funeral Home, 220 East Main Street, Eaton, Ohio. Condolences may be shared with the family via the guest book at www.barnesfuneralhome.com.

Her family will always cherish her love, her laughter, and the steady strength she shared with all who knew her.