Eve Hoare of West Street died in Didcot Community Hospital on 21 February aged 93. She had been ill during the last year and had suffered a fall.

Eve’s daughter Julie St Clair Hoare writes: My lovely mum Eve had lived on Osney Island for 20 years with her beloved husband Roy. She loved the area very much. Many people will have seen her out walking her dogs Pippa and Georgie. Thank you very much to the many people who helped and supported her over the years.

Eve’s funeral will take place on Friday 10 March, 1.30 p.m. at The Oxford Crematorium, Bayswater Road, Oxford OX3 9RZ.  It will be followed by a reception at High St, Beckley, Oxford OX3 9UU. Everyone is welcome at both the crematorium and the reception afterwards. 

We would like this to be a celebration of her life rather than a sombre affair and would like people to wear colourful clothes.

Tributes

Matt Dyson writes: Eve and Roy were my ‘back fence neighbours’ from Bridge St to East Street, and have been the most considerate, kind, and friendly people since I got here six and a half years ago. I first met them when we tried to tackle some ivy coming up underneath our shared fence, and Eve was such a wealth of information, care and inspiration for a rich full life. I saw her a little during the pandemic, dropping round a baked good was the last time I think, and I regret not having made time to see her more recently. She’s a reminder of the wonderful people worth making the time for.

Ben Thomas writes: We remember Eve in recent months walking the dogs around the playing field in the early morning, passing treats to us for our children, chatting about the state of world politics, and discussing philosophy on the phone with her grandson as he worked on his undergraduate degree nearby in Oxford… firing off emails, scanning pictures of her war-time years to send to the writer of a magazine article… sharing news of her remarkable family… cooking, gardening, and of course being there for her wonderful husband Roy, who must be missing her more than we can imagine.

Eve was living at 100% in her 90s. Perhaps it shouldn’t feel surprising when someone of that age is suddenly no longer part of neighbourhood life, but Eve burned so bright to the end that it really does.