Augusta Lyell Evans

EVANS, Augusta Lyell Hoge, of Glen Dale, W.Va., died Friday, March 24, 2006 in Reynolds Memorial Hospital, Glen Dale.

She was born June 12, 1913 in Wheeling, W.Va., a daughter of the late William V. and Mary Virginia Blue Hoge.

She attended Bertha Wilson Grade School and Triadelphia High School in Wheeling, and was a graduate of National Cathedral School, Washington, D.C., where she was Student Body President. She also attended the University of Chicago and Carnegie Tech Art School, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Augusta used her education and artistic abilities to benefit her children, her community, and in her career at Oglebay Institute and Towngate Theatre.

While in Chicago, she worked for Hull House. She volunteered in the Limestone community and PTA, in Marshall County for the Farm Women?s Club, as a 4-H Club leader, at the Evergreen Twig of Ohio Valley Hospital and St. Matthew?s Episcopal Church, Wheeling. She was a lifetime member of the Junior League of Wheeling, where she designed and built scenery for children's plays given in Ohio County Schools. She also designed and helped build scenery for several operas and concerts for the Wheeling Symphony, under the direction of Henry Mazer. She was a golden member of the Moundsville Women?s Club. She was a lifetime member of St. Matthew?s Episcopal Church of Wheeling, and most recently attended Trinity Episcopal Church of Moundsville.

Augusta was hired by Oglebay Institute as Scenic Designer in the 1970?s, where she worked until her "retirement" on June 30, 1992. She continued volunteering for the theater for many years. She designed scenery for Towngate Theater, the Boris Goldovsky Opera Workshop, and most recently for the New Martinsville Lincoln Theatre. Her favorite creative endeavors included decorating the Children?s Room at the Oglebay Mansion for Christmas, and for Holiday Madrigal Dinners, as well as a thousand and one other activities too numerous to mention. She loved plants, flowers, and all things related to gardening, so it was natural that at one time she took a part-time job at Dieckman?s Garden Center.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 61 years, Laurence Myers Evans ?Lolly?; two sisters, Mary Virginia Randolf and Joann Blue Hoge; and a great granddaughter, Tabitha Dawn Walters.

Surviving are a daughter, Katharine E. Coffey of Huntington, W.Va.; son, Laurence Myers Evans, II and his wife, Penny, of Glen Dale; four grandchildren, Karen Augusta Proctor and her husband, John, of Huntington, Amy Virginia Evans and her husband, Andrew Patterson, of Waverly, W.Va., Elizabeth H. Coffey of Huntington and Mary Jill Joan Evans and her husband, Brett Weiss, of Columbus, Ohio; and seven great-grandchildren, Emily Augusta, Peter Laurence ?Pete? and Ethan Robert Proctor, Kiel Andrew Patterson, Joshua Myers, Jessika Ann Walters and Evan Wayne Weiss.

Friends received 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Monday at the Altmeyer Funeral Home, Lutes and Kirby-Vance Chapel, 118 Grant Avenue, Moundsville, W.Va., where services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 28, 2006 with the Rev. Dr. Patricia Geerdes officiating.Interment in Oak Grove Cemetery, Moundsville.

Memorial contributions may be made to Towngate Theatre, 2118 Market Street, Wheeling, WV 26003.Online condolences may be expressed at www.altmeyer.com.