Courtesy of Alva Review-Courtier

© Glenn

Evelyn Elaine Goucher Paris

© Alva Review-Courier

Submitted by: Sandy Bain

Funeral services for Evelyn Paris, 90, will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 16, 2012, at the Alva First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with Rev. Ron Pingelton, officiating. Interment will be in the Alva Municipal Cemetery under the direction of Marshall Funeral Home of Alva.

Evelyn Elaine Goucher was born March 22, 1921 to Elmer and Bessie (Pitt) Goucher near Alva, Oklahoma, and passed away March 13, 2012, at Alva, at age of 90 years and 11 months and 20 days.

She attended Antelope Rural School and Avard School through the 8th grade, and graduated with the class of 1938 from Northwestern High School in Alva.

On August 21, 1942, Evelyn married Merlin Paris in Leominster, Massachusetts. To their marriage one son, Gregory, was born December 14, 1951.

Following their marriage, they lived on the East Coast where Merlin was stationed before going overseas. During the war, Evelyn taught in the rural school of Red Bird near Dacoma. She also worked as secretary in the Waynoka Freight Office and as a legal secretary in the law office of Mauntel, Spellman and Doolin in Alva.

After the war, she and Merlin taught in the Alva Public Schools, where she was named 1973 Teacher of the Year. They also farmed.

Evelyn received her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from Northwestern State College, and also attended Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the Iberoamericana University in Mexico City.

She was a member of the Oklahoma Education Association, National Education Association, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language, Oklahoma Foreign Language Association, Hispanica, and Alva Classroom Teachers.

Following her retirement in 1983, Evelyn and Merlin traveled extensively. Evelyn was a member of the First Christian Church.

Preceding her in death was her husband Merlin, her grandson Brian Paris, her sister Vivian Conaway, and her parents Elmer and Bessie Goucher.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law Gregory and Marsha Paris, grandson Jason, granddaughter Magen Shelton and her husband Shawn, and two great-granddaughters Jocie and Kaycie, all of Alva; as well as many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made through the funeral home to Bank-it for Families in Crisis.

Remembrances may be shared at www.marshallfuneralhomes.com