Eunice R. Toller, 86 of Alma, Michigan died peacefully at her winter home in Port Orange, Florida on Wednesday, February 22, 2012 with her family by her side. Eunice (Euna-Bug) a native Floridian was born on October 8, 1925 in Pleasant Grove, Florida to the late Ellenor and James Rooks. She was the seventh of nine children growing up on her parent’s cattle ranch. Eunice loved almost everything about ranch life and was especially fond of riding and caring for their horses. She was a “TomBoy” at heart growing up with a mischievous sense of adventure and a preference for the comfort of overalls.
In 1942 her future husband, Louis, was invited to the family ranch as a friend of one of her siblings. Eunice captured his heart and Lou soon expanded Eunice’s world to many places beyond the open fields of Citrus County. It was true love. They married on July 28, 1943 and settled into Army life, stationed in Arkansas and Louisiana. After serving their country they moved to Lou’s hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where Lou continued his education and Eunice worked at Gimbal’s Department Store. They lived in a lovely cottage in Devon, Pennsylvania and took the Paoli local train into Philadelphia every day for work and school. From Philly, they moved south to Chapel Hill, North Carolina where Eunice and Lou began their family with the births of Pam and Trisha. After living in Louisville, Kentucky the young family moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia where Linda was born completing their family. Eunice and Lou then moved to and settled in Alma, Michigan in 1959 to raise their three daughters in the land of lakes. Eunice was a woman born before her time. She had a sweet, gentle, and kind soul. She was a woman with a large, giving heart who always thought about others before thinking of herself. Eunice always kept Citrus County, Florida close to her heart and never forgot her roots. She enjoyed reminiscing and sharing her stories of growing up with others. Eunice loved nature and seeing a flower in bloom, or a bird flying over gave her the utmost joy.
Eunice was preceded in death by her husband Lou, in 1977. Eunice is survived by her three loving daughters, Pamela Toller-Clark and her husband, Thomas Clark, Trisha T. Webb, and Linda T. Dammer and her husband, Kevin, three cherished grandchildren, Ian Toller-Clark, Casey Webb and Toni Dammer and three siblings, Marjorie Terrell, Valentine “Buster” Rooks and Albert Rooks.
A Life Celebration will be held New Hope Chapel on Istachatta Road at 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 26th with interment to follow at New Hope Cemetery, Citrus Co., FL.
New Hope Cemetery, Citrus County, FL
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