More Information:
About Anna Lucille Crockett:
ANNA LUCILLE CROCKETT EILAND 1915 - 2010 Anna Lucille Crockett Eiland was born in Oak, Nebraska,
on September 29th, 1915. Lucille cherished memories of growing up on the southeast Nebraska prairie,
including racing bareback on her beloved horses, Lady and Ribbon. Neighbors drove her and her older
sister five miles to church and she became a Christian at a young age. A highlight of her life was being
baptized in the Little Blue River near Davenport, Nebraska. Lucille graduated from high school at age
16 and worked as a nanny for a dentist's family before moving to Omaha at age 18. She worked as a nanny
in Omaha while paying her way through business college. After working in various businesses in Omaha
and Wichita she joined the U.S. Navy where she served as the personal yeoman of Admiral J.W. Reeves,
Jr., first in Moffett Field, California, and later in Pensacola, when he became Chief of Naval Aviation
Command, NAS, Pensacola. While stationed at Moffett, she fatefully met future husband, CPO Gene Eiland,
on a blind date to an Oakland baseball game. Only the promise of marriage to her beloved Gene was strong
enough to lure her away from the WAVES. She continued Navy life, however, with Gene. They had three
children and lived in Patuxent River, Maryland, Beeville, Texas, Memphis, Tennessee, and Hayward, California,
before Gene retired from the Navy in 1960 and the family returned to live in Pensacola. In addition
to being a devoted wife and mother, Lucille continued her business career in Pensacola after her children
reached school age. She served as Office Manager at Marshall-MacNeil Architects for over twenty years
but always managed to be present to send her children off to school and welcome them home. Family always
came first for Lucille. Volunteerism, too, was a strong part of her life and, even after retirement,
she worked as an American Red Cross volunteer at the US Naval Hospital, as an AARP tax volunteer, and
as treasurer for her church. Lucille was a devout Christian and a member of the Innerarity Point Baptist
Church where she had many friends. She embraced life with enthusiasm and a positive and giving spirit.
She loved to travel, camp, go to the beach and garden. She had a passion for her family and home on
the Intercoastal Waterway. She will be greatly missed. Preceding Lucille in death were her adored
parents, Meredith Lane and Lena Crockett; brothers, James and David; and sisters, Margaret, Doris, and
Jenny. She is survived by her loving and loyal husband of over 60 years, Herbert Eugene Eiland; three
children, Jim Eiland (Cindy) of Pensacola, Joy Eiland (Ernest) of Victoria, Texas, and Jill Morris (John)
of Orinda, California; six grandchildren, Julian, Aaron, Hannah, Allison, Marissa, and Jack; one great-granddaughter,
Riley; and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank wonderful caregiver, Rose, and Covenant
Hospice, who made it possible for our beloved Lucille to live comfortably and with dignity at home through
her last months and days. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Hospice of Pensacola. The
family will receive friends for visitation at Oak Lawn Funeral Home from 5:00 to 6:00pm on Wednesday,
January 6, 2010. Funeral services will take place at 11:30am Thursday, January 7, 2010 at Innerarity
Point Baptist Church. Interment will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery.
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