Eva Viola LeViness

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Eva Viola LeViness

SOUTH PARIS — Eva Viola LeViness, 94, of South Paris passed into the gates of heaven on June 17, 2012 at 6:40 p.m. She was born in South Paris on February 20, 1918, a daughter of August and Selma Niskanen. She had six siblings, Aino, Lilly, Edith, Edwin, Ruthie and Evelyn. She attended two one room school houses, one at the bottom of Cooper Hill, and one on Paris Hill. Then she went to South Paris High School, on Pine Street. She graduated in June of 1935.

She was a lifetime member of Trinity Lutheran Church which started on King Hill and later moved to South Paris. Her parents were one of the many founding members of the church. For many years, the services were conducted in Finnish only. When the church was moved to South Paris, they started to conduct in English. Every so often they would conduct in Finnish. While in high school, she stayed in various homesteads, boarding out in different households.

In 1934-1935, she worked for Mr. and Mrs. Sanborn in the summer time. After graduation the Sanborns asked her if she would accompany them to Yonkers, NY. There she met Dorothy LeViness, and they became fast friends. Dorothy invited her to come and meet her family. There she met John LeViness; they were married on February 16, 1940. They were blessed with three children, Carole Ann (1941), John Jr. (1944) and William (1947). Each of these children had four children of their own.

Survivors include her two sons, John Jr. and his wife Myra and William and his wife Pat; 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-granddaughter; sisters, Lilly of Mt. Edith and Ruthie and Evelyn of Maine; a brother, Edward Niskanen of Texas and many nieces and nephews, to whom she was known as Vivi or Aunt Vivi. She was predeceased by her parents; a nephew, Martin Niskanen in Vietnam 1971; daughter, Carole Ann in 1992; her husband of 54 years in 1994; brothers-in-law, John Robin, Jack Kelly, Bill O’Hara and Joseph Bryant and two grandsons, Michael Grimaldi and Christopher LeViness.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 28 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, South Paris. Flowers or donations may be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church in memory of Eva Viola ( Niskanen) LeViness. On-line condolences may be shared with her family at www.chandlerfunerals.com. Blessed be the name of the Lord.