Eva Cornelia Allert Hollingbery

Eva Cornelia Allert Hollingbery’s life was truly a treasure.

Born in Ritzville, Wash., July 12, 1923, to a German immigrant farm family, the Allerts moved to Pullman during the Great Depression so family and friends could afford to go to college. The family farm covered thousands of acres in the Palouse, mostly wheat and Black Angus cattle ranching. The Allert home in Pullman was located on campus and was easily identified as it had a cow in the back yard. Eve attended Pullman Middle School and Pullman High School, she met Don Hollingbery on the swim team and they remained friends through school years. She continued to pursue this passion of swimming until her last days.

In 1941, Eve started her studies at Washington State University and joined the Chi Omega sorority.

“The war hit us all very hard. Half the boys in our high school graduating class were killed in the war and every boy joined the armed forces or remained on family farms to grow needed food for the war effort.” The next year Don started at WSU. The United States entered the war that year and Don joined the Navy. Don and Eve were married in 1945.

Eve graduated with a degree in bacteriology and moved to Spokane to work as a lab tech during the war.

Don and Eve Hollingbery lived for a short time in San Francisco before settling in their family home in Moses Lake. They raised five children there, all attended WSU. In 1970 Eve was selected as “Mother of the Year” at WSU.

Eve was an active member of PEO, and worked diligently as a community volunteer. She returned to school in 1974 at Eastern Washington University and earned a masters degree in English. She worked as an English instructor at the University of Idaho, then moved to Yakima and joined the faculty at YVC. Eve’s teaching focused on non-English speaking, ESL students. She developed effective methods and curriculum working with the farm workers and their families in the lower Yakima Valley. Her work with the farm-workers extended beyond the classroom. She volunteered for years at the Union Gospel Mission in Yakima.

Eve was an accomplished writer and poet, publishing many works about life in Eastern Washington, farming, harvest and family. She was a master basket weaver and beloved member of the “Ditch Girls” weavers in Yakima. She enjoyed her small cabin retreat at Lake Cle Elum and her greatest joy was her grandchildren.

On Dec. 9, 2008, Eve passed away surrounded by family in Yakima. Heaven welcomed and embraced a pioneer, community leader, friend, teacher and peace maker, her legacy of love and compassion will live on in the many friends and family members whose lives she so richly touched. She loved the Lord and her life was inspired by the life of Jesus Christ. There was never a braver or better example of what it means to live.

She joins in heaven her mother and father, three sisters and two brothers and Don. She is survived by her sister, Hankie Fishback and brother Dwayne Allert, children Cindy Holm (Robert), Rip Hollingbery (Kris), Jeffrey Hollingbery (Diana), George Hollingbery (Lucinda), Betsy Medrano (Johnny); Grandchildren, Heidi Schultz, Heather Jessee, Aaron Hollingbery, Katie Ruark, Michael Hollingbery, Kalin Hollingbery, Ambra Smith, Natalie Hollingbery, Nick Hollingbery, Joshua Medrano, Melea Medrano, and 13 beloved great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Eve’s life was held Saturday at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6015 Summitview Ave., Yakima. Donations may be made to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospice, PEO Scholarship fund or educational scholarship of your choice c/o Keith and Keith Funeral Home, 902 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902.