1925 – 2015

AUBURN — Eva Louise Seely Bouvier, 89, of 71 Aquamarine Court, Auburn, died Friday, Jan. 9, at Clover Manor.

She was born in Northampton, Mass., on Dec. 23, 1925, the daughter of William F. and Eva L. Gove Seely. Her formative years were spent in Northampton, attending local schools and graduating from Northampton High School. She attended and graduated from Smith College, also located in Northampton, in 1948, with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a major in music, which would be her major interest later in life.

While employed as a counselor at a Girl Scout camp in the summer months, she met her lifelong friend, Margaret, and both moved to New York City in 1949. She was employed at an insurance company on Wall Street for a number of years, where she met Roger L. Bouvier, who was to eventually be her husband.

While in New York, she continued her interest in music with many activities, including being a member of the Robert Shaw Chorale which, at times, was conducted by the late Leonard Bernstein.

In September 1963, she and Roger were married in a church ceremony officiated by one of Roger’s classmates, who was a priest from Roger’s college. In 1965, Roger accepted a position to continue his insurance career with the Dunlap Agency in Maine, where Roger grew up.

They settled in Auburn and Eva was hired by Bates College in Lewiston and became its first financial aid officer, a function that was becoming quite popular with potential college students at the time. She continued in that position until 1972, when Roger was promoted to manager of a large insurance agency in southern New Hampshire that Dunlap had purchased.

They settled in Rochester, N.H., and while there, Eva was asked to work part-time at the University of New Hampshire as an assistant financial aid officer. It was at that time that Eva’s lifelong interest in music led her to starting a piano teaching career.

Returning to Maine in 1978, when Roger was asked to return to the Dunlap home office, they again settled in Auburn. At this time, Eva embarked on a full-time piano teaching career with a studio in her residence, a career that lasted well into her 80s.

While keeping meticulous records on all of her students, younger and older, she estimates that she taught hundreds, some of whom continued lessons with her for many years.

During this long musical career, Eva maintained her and Roger’s household, enjoyed their lake cottage for 25 years, their dog, Happy, and many trips to several areas of the country.

Eva leaves her husband of 51 years. She was predeceased by her brothers, Albert and Roy; and leaves many nieces and nephews and their children.

Condolences and donations may be accessed online at www.albert-burpee.com.