Sherbrooke Record

Evelyn Beban Lewis celebrates turning 100 on April 20!

- By Louise Smith

Amazing Evelyn Lewis has turned one hundred! She now lives with her son, Michael, in Kirkland, but up until just two years ago, she lived on her own in Cowansvill­e. And up until her departure from Cowansvill­e, she would write a monthly feature in the

Sherbrooke Record about the Fordyce branch of the Women’s Institutes of Quebec.

Evelyn taught at Heroes’ Memorial School, and after her retirement she volunteere­d for about twenty years to teach music to the Kindergart­en classes. When she was a teacher at Heroes’ she brought in a huge old bathtub that students loved to have an opportunit­y to get into with a book. When she retired, she left it to Barbara Dunn, who then passed it on to Marlene Forster. Evelyn taught with Gloria Miller and when she passed away, Evelyn set up a year-end award in her name for students who show perseveran­ce despite hardships. She also set up an award in honour of her husband, Ed Moynan Lewis. Evelyn was also one of the founding members of the Heroes’ Memorial Bursary Fund, which has handed out many bursaries over the years to former students of Farnham Elementary and Heroes’

Memorial.

Trinity Anglican Church was her home church when she lived in Cowansvill­e. She was a very active member and was a vital component of the church.

Evelyn is still a member of the Fordyce branch of the Women’s Institutes of Quebec. She meets via Zoom from her new residence in Kirkland. Evelyn was nominated and then was chosen as the Woman of the Year from all the nomination­s from Women’s Institutes across Canada in 2020!

Evelyn is also still a member of the Cowansvill­e Chapter #17 of the Order of the Eastern Star. She has held many positions within the chapter and at the provincial level over the years.

Amazing, remarkable, generous, loving, dedicated. These are just a few of the words needed to describe Evelyn Beban Lewis. May she have many more birthdays to celebrate! She has received many cards and letters from many who know her and who admire her. It is a very special birthday indeed.

 ?? PHOTOS BY LOUISE SMITH ??
PHOTOS BY LOUISE SMITH
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