Evelyn M. Gyger 1918 - 2007

Evelyn Marguerite Warlop Gyger was born in a tent near the Big Jim Mine near Oatman, Ariz., Feb. 23, 1918, where her father, Jules Francois Warlop, was the general foreman, and her mother, Mary Catherine Guillaume Warlop, was a homemaker. She lived almost all of her life in the Verde Valley or within 50 miles of it. She died Sept. 7, 2007.

After surviving a catastrophic accident in the Cleopatra Mine on Thanksgiving Day, 1928, Jules acquired the only remaining homestead in the Verde Valley near Cornville. He went on to farm during the Depression and built a number of bridges, roads, and buildings including the existing Cottonwood Civic Building. Evelyn rode a burro to the one-room schoolhouse in Cornville, eventually graduating from Jerome High School in 1935, and Saint Joseph's Business School in San Diego in 1937.

She married Willy Glen Gyger in Prescott, Sept. 20, 1940. He was soon sent to what became the Manhattan Project in Alamagordo, N.M.

The family was there when the first two atomic bombs were detonated as a test.

After World War II, the family farmed in Cornville. She managed the family business in Flagstaff and later worked as a bookkeeper at Arizona State College until she retired to Cottonwood in 1982. In 1996, she was widowed after nearly 55 years of marriage.

She was active as a Brownie, Girl Scout Leader, and as a 4-H leader. She held all the offices of the Flagstaff Catholic Daughter's of America, and became the State Grand Regent.

She was active in Senior Citizens activities. She was an officer of the Cottonwood Civic Club many times, including serving as the president.

She is survived by sons Gene Louis Gyger of Camp Verde and Allen Frank Gyger of Las Vegas, Nev., and her daughter, Louis Marie Gyger-Jones is a clothing designer in Pahoa, Hawaii.

A visitation will be on Friday, Sept. 14, 5-7 p.m. at Westcott Funeral Home.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Sept. 15 at 10:30 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cottonwood.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to a worthy charity.

An online guestbook is available at www.westcottfuneralhome.com.