By Joyce Hefner, Interim Executive Director
October 11, 2022
Everyone in Austin providing aging services or receiving support and services has been touched by Eva Church and her legacy. My first experience with Eva’s influence was in attending a Validation Therapy workshop on dementia and caregiving during my time working for the state. I was so impressed by the training and had no idea that her influence and fierce advocacy brought this type of therapy to Texas.
When I joined Family Eldercare in 1996, I was introduced to Eva. She was a warm, welcoming, and funny person. She was respected by everyone. One of her best characteristics was her ability to build everyone up and encourage everyone to work together so we could build a first-class aging services network in Austin. In her role at Austin Groups for the Elderly’s (AGE) Caregiver Resource Center, she was fiercely dedicated to connecting caregivers to important resources and support. She always checked in to make sure she had accurate information for every agency and made frequent calls to discuss options and find creative ways to assist a caregiver when a specific resource did not exist.
The thing I most admired about Eva was her leadership. She didn’t have to be the Executive Director or the CEO; she was steadfast in influencing others – providers, policy makers, government officials – to do the right thing for our aging population and caregivers. She was a great role model for us all. Well done, Eva! You will be missed.
Eva Church’s Memorial Mass will be held on October 13, 2022 at 2:00 PM
St Louis King of France Catholic Church
7601 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78757
Learn more about Eva’s legacy in her Austin American Statesman Obituary.
