Evie Dawe ­ half a century of serving

BY MARILYN G. GREGORY, MAJOR – 

There are volunteers…and then there are volunteers…then there’s Evie Dawe, who has become an important part of the San Francisco ARC family where she will celebrate 50 years of volunteer service this year as our beloved pianist at the center.

Officers come and officers go. Though administrator couples come with many and varied skills, not all are musicians. That means that over the past 50 years, San Francisco ARC has never gone without a pianist. Evie is there, taking her place at the beautiful grand piano in the chapel, every Wednesday evening and every Sunday morning. But it wasn’t always a grand piano that she played! She remembers chapel in the old, old building in San Francisco, where chairs were set up for a makeshift chapel each week.

Though a very busy lady, who keeps a daily schedule of events and whose calendar allows little time for idleness, Evie seldom takes a vacation away from the City of San Francisco these days. God has blessed her with relatively good health. In the past four and a half years, she has missed a chapel service less than half a dozen times. Evie has to be really ill or in the hospital to stay away! That’s how dedicated she is.

The daughter of Salvation Army officer parents, Evie didn’t always live in San Francisco, but she has lived here all her adult life–certainly long enough to be called a ‘native’. Evie’s father, Major Ronald Eberhart, was promoted to Glory in 1941, at age 44, while divisional commander of the Southern California Division. Her mother, Lt. Colonel Pauline Eberhart, made her home with Evie in her later years, and answered the heavenly call on December 7, 1992, at 97.

Evie’s late husband, Wes Dawe, to whom she was married for 48 years, was promoted to Glory in May 1987. Wes was a San Francisco Citadel bandsman and a gifted artist. He designed and created the wonderful stained-glass doors leading into the current SF ARC Chapel, as well as the lovely window at the stairway landing at Pinehurst Lodge, the women’s residence.

Years ago, Evie was a songster and a gifted soloist – not only in The Salvation Army, but also with the San Francisco Symphony Chorus. She is still a regular attendee at symphony rehearsals.

Evie’s son, Wes, Jr., resides in Modesto and is a frequent visitor. She has four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, whom she entertains in her home as often as possible.

For many years Evie was an employee at divisional headquarters in San Francisco, and still volunteers for Golden State Division. She also plays the piano for their weekly chapel services. In addition to her Salvation Army service, Evie is involved in various civic and neighborhood groups.

A chorus book in our chapel is dedicated to “our friend, Evie Dawe, who has tirelessly given of her precious time and unlimited talent to enhance and focus the worship of the San Francisco ARC chapel services since 1953–Evie, your generous spirit and inspirational music will always hold a sacred place in our hearts. Thank you!”