Evelyn McNeal

Evelyn “Evy” Boyk McNeal passed away on Sept. 9, after celebrating her 87th birthday on Sept. 5. Evelyn grew up in Rocklyn, Wash. (near Davenport) before marrying Edgar McNeal and graduating from Washington State University. Evy was the daughter of Ethel and Emerson Boyk and the older sister to Don and Paulette (Meldahl). Ed and Evy spent time in Philadelphia before returning to the state of Washington to raise their three daughters, Kim (Meline), Kerry (Morrison) and Kelly (McNeal) and to become teachers. Evy spent decades in the Franklin Pierce School District before retiring. Her retirement included supervising student teachers at Pacific Lutheran University, coordinating the State Geography Bee for National Geographic, and running the Summer Institute for the Gifted.

Family, travel, and education were the three pillars of Evy's life and she approached all three with warmth, excitement, style and passion. Although she taught every age of student from Kindergarten to college, her passion was her Middle School Social Studies and English block classes where she could weave and connect current events, different cultures, and the fascinating stories that make up the fabric of history.

In her world travels, she visited the places of history and shared her epic adventures with her family and friends upon her return. After returning from being a Fulbright Scholar in Egypt, she told of walking in the footsteps of pharaohs and the shadow of the Sphinx and Pyramids.

Her Raft Island home was the center of the McNeal/Meline and Morrison Universe and served as a combination of sanctuary and resort, often filled with laughter and with Grandma Evy's stories, but occasionally the island house brought peace found on the beach by worshipping the sun and communing with the beauty of nature.

Her family was inspired and enriched by this amazing woman's presence. Her surviving daughters, Kelly and Kerry (Eric) and her grandchildren Kristina (Harinder) Singh, Shannon (Rob) Schwab, Sara Meline, Katie Meline, Michael Morrison, and Meghan Morrison and great grandchildren, Jasmine Singh and Matthew Schwab will miss her terribly. When she passed, she was greeted by her dad, beloved husband Ed, son-in-law Rob, and beautiful daughter Kim.

Evelyn McNeal's service is to be held at Haven of Rest, 8503 WA-16, Gig Harbor, WA on Sept. 24, at 2:00 pm in the afternoon.