Eva M. Crockett Colton Hiatt Obituary (1927 - 2015)

A remarkable woman left the Earth recently. She was a mother, grandmother, and great grand mother. She was and will continue to be an inspiration to those who knew her. From pursuing a college education while raising five young children to relentlessly hiking the Eagle Cap Wilderness area well into her eighties, Grandma George knew what she wanted for herself and her family and was willing to do what it took to get there. Our lives are better because of her. Let us not mourn her death, but instead celebrate her life, because it was a remarkable one. Eva was born on October 5, 1927 to Zahnie and Dollie Crockett in Gold Beach, Ore. She passed away peacefully at home with her family present on Jan. 10, 2015 at the age of 87 after a short but valiant battle with cancer. She graduated co-Valedictorian at the age of 15 from Gold Beach high school and continued her education at Eastern Oregon College of Nursing. On May 20, 1946 she married Wilbur Hugh Colton in Baker, Ore. They made their home on the Colton family ranch in the upper Keating Valley. Five children were born, Linda, Cinda, Tom, Teri, and Traci. Hugh passed away in 1961. Eva then went back to school and with a bookkeeping degree went to work for Mitchell and Guyer accounting in Baker, and while there passed her CPA exams. She met George O. Hiatt while doing an audit for the city of Baker and they were wed on June 14, 1964. After George retired as city manager and the death of her father, they moved to Pistol River, Ore. to help her mother run the Crockett family ranch. She became partners in the CPA firm of Scruggs, Hiatt and Musser in Brookings, Ore. While there, she was on the board of directors of numerous banks and civic organizations. After retirement from her firm, they returned to Baker County in 1994 and resided in the lower Keating Valley for the next twenty years. Eva was active in Soroptimist Club, Daughters of the American Revolution, playing pinochle at Keating school, line dancing at the Senior Center, traveling, reading and living life to the fullest! Eva is survived by her five children, Linda Colton Taylor (Charles) Ontario, Or., Cinda Colton Kramer (Kevin) Gladstone, Or., Tom Colton (Julie) Union, Or., Teri Colton (Larry), Portland, Or. and Traci Colton, Albany, Or., 10 grandchildren and 14 great grand children, sister Zahna Rainboth, Gold Beach, Or., sister in -laws and husbands, June Premovith ( George) Wenatchee, Wa., Jean Thompson ( Elmer) Mt. Vernon, Or., Joyce Turner (Jim) Elgin, Or., La Rue Brooks (Stan) Richland, Or., Gail Stevenson (Chuck) Kent, Wa., brother in Law Jim Hiatt ( Teresa) Ft. Meyers, Fl., cousins Vernon and Carol Lee Crockett, Brookings, Or., and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her second husband George O. Hiatt in 2008. A "celebration of life" will be held for Eva on Saturday January 17th at 2:00 PM at Gray's West & Co. Pioneer Chapel in Baker City, Or. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to DAR ( Daughters of the American Revolution), Keating Rural Fire Department, or the Keating School through Gray's West & Co. Pioneer Chapel, 1500 Dewey Ave., Baker city, OR 97814.