Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman Braund
Alene Smith of Belton, MO - Claud Stillman, Jr.'s sister-in-law - always spoke so highly of and with great affection for Claud Stillman, Jr. Alene Smith told of how hard Claud Stillman, Jr. worked. One particular story remembered is how Claud Stillman, Jr. would stop to eat his lunch. He would sit on the back of a wagon and eat sardines and crackers. The impression was that his work ethic was so strong inspite of their desperate conditions.
OBITUARY - Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman Braund, age 81, died Wednesday, November 13 at her home in Kennett, Missouri. After five surgeries and a 30 year battle with cancer, Mrs. Stillman finally lost.
Mrs. Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman was born in Atkins, Arkansas on March 1, 1921, the daughter of Ona Mae Heflin and Wayne Crouthers. Wayne Crouthers died in 1924, and the family remained in the Little Rock area until December 1940 when they moved to the Bootheel of Missouri.
Evelyn Ann Crouthers married Claud Stillman, Jr. on October 7, 1944. To this union were born James Stillman in 1946 and Linda Stillman in 1949. All are now deceased, Claud Stillman, Jr. in 1955, James Stillman in 1992, and Linda Stillman in 1997.
In 1970, Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman married Dr. Ralph Braund of Memphis, a renowned oncologist, and lived there until his death in 1977. After returning to Kennett, Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman maintained a home in Memphis and continued to participate in many social and cultural activities.
Mrs. Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman was a member of numerous civic organizations in Memphis including the Cotton Wives, Doctor's Wives, Brooks Art Gallery League, the Dixon Art Gallery, and Stage Set. Bringing food and caring to the sick or lonely, Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman never neglected her belief in direct personal action to help others, believing that she was simply doing her duty, that her goodness was a natural, God given obligation, the "rent we pay" for living in a civilized society. Her character, charm, and unswerving loyalty earned her lifelong friends in Kennett, Memphis and around the U.S.
In addition to her personal service, Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman was a benefactor to many individuals and institutions, sponsoring scholarships to the College of the Ozarks, the Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky and others.
Mrs. Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman was preceded in death by her brother James in 1967, her mother in 1977 and her brother L.G. Crouthers in 1990. Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman is survived by her sisters Jo Ann Marchi of Crofton, Maryland and Alene Smith of Belton, Missouri and nine nieces. Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman was preceded in death by one nephew, Dr. Ron Crouthers and one niece Mary Margaret Crouthers. Funeral services will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Kennett, Missouri on November 20, 2002 at 10 a.m. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1378 Union Ave., Memphis, TN 38104
OBITUARY - EVELYN CROUTHERS STILLMAN BRAUND, 81, of Kennett, MO, formerly of Memphis, homemaker and farm manager, died Wednesday in Kennett, MO.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Kennett First Methodist Church. McDaniel Funeral Service in Kennett has charge. Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman Braund was a member of the Cotton Wives, the Doctors Wives, the Memphis Brooks Museum Art Gallery League, the Dixon Gallery & Gardens, the Pink Palace Museum and the Stage Set. Mrs. Evelyn Ann Crouthers Stillman, the widow of Claud Stillman and Dr. Ralph Braund, leaves two sisters, Alene Smith of Belton, MO, and JoAnn Marchi of MO. The family requests that memorials be sent to the American Cancer Society.
Evelyn Crouthers Stillman - Daily Dunklin Democrat - paid obituary
March 1, 1921 - November 13, 2002 Evelyn Crouthers Stillman, 81, died Wednesday, November 13 at her home in Kennett, Missouri. After five surgeries and a 30 year battle with cancer, Mrs. Stillman finally lost. Mrs. Stillman was born in Atkins, Arkansas on March 1, 1921, the daughter of Ona Mae Heflin and Wayne Crouthers. Wayne Crouthers died in 1924, and the family remained in the Little Rock area until December 1940 when they moved to the Bootheel of Missouri.
Evelyn married Claud Stillman on October 7, 1944. To this union were born James in 1946 and Linda in 1949. All are now deceased, Claud in 1955, James in 1992, and Linda in 1997.
In 1970, she married Dr. Ralph Braund of Memphis, a renowned oncologist, and lived there until his death in 1977. After returning to Kennett, she maintained a home in Memphis and continued to participate in many social and cultural activities.
Evelyn Stillman was a fine lady who gave of herself everyday to improve the life of our community, its citizens and our world. Mrs. Stillman will be remembered for her service and her personal goodness. Death cannot erase her good deeds.
Evelyn Stillman was a homemaker and a successful businesswoman. She took great pride in the home she and Claud built in Kennett in 1954. She was famous for her parties and was often called "the hostess with the mostest". Widowed at age 34 for over fifteen years and then again at the age of 55, she applied her perceptive intelligence and good sense to very effectively manage the family farming business for close to fifty years.
Mrs. Stillman was a lifelong learner. From her childhood, she was bright and curious. Starting school at age 5, she never stopped learning. Friends talk about how they always learned something when they were in her home or in her company. She was widely read with broad ranging interests, from common sense solutions to everyday life problems, good recipes, farm policy and international politics. Her world travels, from China to Egypt, brought her more insight into the human condition.
Several years ago, Mrs. Stillman took a creative writing class at the University of Mississippi. Most of the students were professional writers and retired college professors. On campus one day, she ran into her teacher who asked her what she hoped to learn from the class. At first, she was shy to answer, since she thought her goal so modest. Then she told her teacher, "I want to learn to write a good letter." Very seriously her teacher responded, "Yes, you are right. That's so important." In fact, Mrs. Stillman was an inveterate letter writer, a gift that has become a lost art.
Mrs. Stillman celebrated social graces and lived her life in accordance. Kindness, consideration and personal generosity flowed into everything she did. Her character, charm, and unswerving loyalty earned her lifelong friends in Kennett, Memphis and around the U.S.
Bringing food and caring to the sick or lonely, she never neglected her belief in direct personal action to help others. Over her life of hard work and civic caring and in her business dealings, she was a person of absolute integrity. At the same time, she was self effacing and modest, believing that she was simply doing her duty, that her goodness was a natural, God given obligation, the "rent we pay" for living in a civilized society.
Mrs. Stillman was a walking talking history lesson, about Peach Orchard, Kennett, Piggott, and the tri-state area. Her stories described the rich tapestry of changes in farming practices and personal histories. From those stories emerged the vital truth about what really matters: caring, giving, and personal responsibility. That was her central gift to us, the day-to-day reality of her example, expressed so elegantly through her personal dignity, grace, and principled actions.
Mrs. Stillman was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Kennett and numerous civic organizations in Memphis including the Cotton Wives, Doctor's Wives, Brooks Art Gallery League, the Dixon Art Gallery, and Stage Set (Little Theater of Memphis).
In addition to her personal service, she was a benefactor to many individuals and institutions, sponsoring scholarships to the College of the Ozarks, the Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky and others.
Mrs. Stillman was preceded in death by her brother James in 1967, her mother in 1977 and her brother L.G. Crouthers in 1990. She is survived by her sisters Jo Ann Marchi of Crofton, Maryland and Alene Smith of Belton, Missouri and nine nieces. She was preceded in death by one nephew, Dr. Ron Crouthers and one niece Mary Margaret Crouthers.
Funeral services will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Kennett, 300 College Avenue on Wednesday, November 20, 2002 at 10 a.m. with Pastor Paul Lanning and Rev. Michael Kelpe officiating. Immediately following the service there will be a reception in the church dining hall. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 1378 Union Avenue, Memphis, TN 38104. .
(McDaniel Funeral Home of Kennett, Missouri is in charge of funeral arrangements.)
Information, data, and picture for this page has been provided by Deborah K. Smith Burkard
Updated 29 Mar 2003