Unforgettable Aunt Evelyn: Neighbor, Laundry Workers’ Champ

Evelyn Mildred Webb, 87, passed away on May 11. She worked at American Linen, served as a union president, and was a Dixwell neighborhood activist. Her nephew Mark Anthony Beecham penned this tribute.

Her Early Years

My dear Aunt Evelyn was born Evelyn Mildred Webb, to Junius W. Webb and Iola (Nixon) Webb, on May 8, 1926, in Birmingham, Alabama. She was the third of the seven children they raised, and the family’s oldest daughter. In addition, the family suffered two miscarriages, and lost a little girl, who may have been named Mildred. She lived for around six months before her crib death. The children who grew to adulthood were Henry Solomon Webb, Melvin David Webb, Evelyn Mildred Webb, Junius Reed ​“Bubba” Webb, James William Webb, Juanita Delissa Webb, and Yvonne Webb.

Junius was a traveling minister who sometimes worked in the mines or at other jobs. Iola made money washing people’s clothes and, later, worked in a laundry. The family was relatively poor, but owned their own home. When Evelyn was a teenager, they moved into the house at 825 Washington Ave. in Birmingham. This would be the Webb family home for decades, eventually passed down to James who resided there until 2012. The family grew fruits and vegetables on the property and raised some livestock.

As the oldest daughter, Evelyn had plenty of chores and hard work to do around the Webb house. This included cooking, cleaning, tending to the crops and livestock, and often taking care of her two younger sisters. Juanita and Yvonne, who were about eight and ten years younger, were a handful. Per her parents’ directions, Evelyn’s supervisory duties included occasionally beating one of the misbehaving sisters with a switch (a thin tree branch) to keep them in line. Well, the younger Webb girls were spirited individuals who did not care for that disciplinary practice. One day, they teamed up and beat up their older sister. After that, the beatings stopped, at least from Evelyn. But the two ended up doing much more work around the house, as Evelyn, thereafter, refused to do many of the things for them that had been part of her caretaking.

However, young Evelyn’s primary chore, according to my mother, was killing the chickens and turkeys that the family would cook and eat. ​“None of us could wring those chickens’ necks like your Aunt Evelyn,” my mother is fond of saying. Aunt Evelyn was somewhat proud of this, and the two of them would laugh about it. Young Evelyn’s prowess as the official slayer of the Webb family poultry was a favorite topic at her hospital bedside. As you may know, chickens’ and turkeys’ bodies will sometimes flail about for a while after they have been beheaded. One time a turkey body flopped around so wildly that it somehow ended up under the house after losing its head. Others tried to coax little Yvonne, the youngest and smallest Webb, into the cramped space to retrieve the headless carcass for the family’s dinner. That did not happen. Evelyn had to go in and get it.

My mother believes that the Webb house was, and is, haunted. She and Aunt Evelyn told me of an incident that occurred late one night, when young Evelyn was up late, alone, baking a cake (always from scratch). She saw a man, dressed in a suit, who looked like her father. The man didn’t say anything. He went into the bathroom. Strangely, there was no flush and he didn’t come out. Evelyn woke her daddy to ask him about it. He angrily told her that he had not been up, nor had he gone to the bathroom. It certainly was not him in the suit. Frightened, Evelyn ran to her bed and jumped into it, in the clothes she had on. This ghost’s visit is one of a number of spectral encounters that the Webbs experienced over the years at 825 Washington Ave.

My favorite anecdote about Aunt Evelyn’s youth revealed a slightly mischievous bent. Both her parents were very strict. Television viewing was limited. In the Webb household, there was no gambling, drinking, swearing, sassing, or even card playing and, of course, there were restrictive dating rules. Well, Evelyn cut a small, hidden slit in the screen door to the house so that she could let herself back into the house after curfew. I imagine a young Miss Webb sneaking into a dark house and through the quiet rooms, as preacher Webb and his wife slept. That took gumption!

Education and Career

Aunt Evelyn grew up during the 1930s and ​‘40s, in the heart of the segregated Deep South, where Jim Crow was a way of life. She had to walk very far to get to the all-Black schools she attended during her elementary and secondary years. She graduated from Parker High School, and then studied, briefly, at Alabama State College.

When she left home, she went to New York and briefly worked as a live-in maid. She eventually moved on to New Haven and took a job as a laundry worker for American Linen. She would be at American Linen Supply Company for over 35 years, until her retirement.

But it was as a union member that Aunt Evelyn excelled and assumed positions of advocacy and authority. Evelyn Webb became a shop steward at the job site. She stood between management and vulnerable workers, advising her co-workers, making sure that facility conditions were adequate, and speaking up for laundry workers when needed. She took pride in the fact that she was able to make a difference for others. I vaguely remember my aunt telling me, many years ago, of times that she steered a colleague in the right direction or made sure someone was able to take care of a family emergency without losing a job. She liked to help her fellow workers. For over 35 years, she was a proud member of Amalgamated Services & Allied Industries Union, Local 800. In addition to her position as shop steward, she served as a Coalition of Labor Union Women (ACTWU 800) representative on the Greater New Haven Central Labor Council, was a president of Local 800, and served on the Board of Directors Executive Board for over 25 years.

My aunt did not talk a lot about the recognition and accolades that she received through the years. While she might have mentioned some at the times she received them, she did not dwell on them or constantly remind people of the distinctions of her past. In her apartment, after her passing, we found a plaque that reads:

The Greater New Haven Labor History Association Proudly Presents The Augusta Lewis Troup Preservation Award To

EVELYN WEBB

For Your Valuable Contribution to Preserving the History of Greater New Haven’s Working People

November 18, 1990

New Haven Neighbor

Evelyn Webb lived in New Haven, Connecticut for over 40 years. She was a good friend, neighbor, and citizen. A quiet, law-abiding tenant, she lived at 111 Bristol St., and was well-liked by the people in her building. She was active in her community and loved the city of New Haven. A number of friends, such as Gemma, Laura, and Miss Olivia, continued their friendships with her after her move to Brooklyn; for the rest of her life. As people call my mom, during this time of mourning, we continue to hear stories and anecdotes about Aunt Evelyn from people who cared about her and were helped by her.

Another plaque, this one from the Bristol Street Block Watch, suggests the kind of neighbor and community member Evelyn M. Webb was. It reads:

Mrs. Evelyn M. Webb

A Long Time Resident And Activist Of New Haven, CT.
She Has Lived in the Bristol St. and Dixwell Area for More Than Forty Years

We the Members of Bristol St. Block Watch #612 Will Miss Her.

May God Bless Her.
From the Bristol St Block Watch #612

Phillip Beal School, my aunt’s long-time companion, was the love of her life. He was a Connecticut longshoreman who grew up in Virginia. He was a kind man who got along well with our family. Recently, one of Phil’s sisters estimated that the couple had been together about twenty-five years. She added that Aunt Evelyn was like family to them. ​“Phil was crazy about Evelyn,” my mom likes to say. Sadly, Phil died over a decade ago. Aunt Evelyn missed him until the day her spirit also left this earthly realm.

My aunt liked to travel. Though she was not wealthy, she was thrifty and managed to get out and see some of this world. For a number of years, she traveled with Phillip. She also made a number of sisterly trips with my mom. Additionally, her positions within the union sometimes called for traveling to meetings, conventions, and such, in order to speak, listen, and participate on behalf of her constituents. She journeyed to many places, including The Bahamas, Hawaii, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, New Jersey, and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Years ago, a hit-and-run driver callously ran her over with his car, striking her twice. This criminal left her bleeding and unconscious on a sidewalk near a garage exit. When she awoke, someone had to tell my aunt what had hit her. The driver was never found or identified. The brutal accident seriously damaged her right thigh, and much of her right quadriceps muscle group had to be surgically removed. She walked with a limp the rest of her life. Though the injury slowed her down, and she suffered with long-term serious pain, she was determined to live independently and get around.

One institution that benefited from my aunt’s hard work and community spirit was the Dixwell/ Newhallville Senior Center. She did volunteer work there for many years and was part of its governing board. ​“Evelyn was one of the best secretaries we ever had,” according to Mrs. Irrita Osborn, a senior center official. Aunt Evelyn volunteered at the center back when it was located at 114 Bristol St. And she was there, on opening day, Sept. 25, 2002, for the dedication ceremony and to begin work when the facility began providing services in its new home at 255 Goffe St.

Brooklyn Neighbor

My aunt moved to Brooklyn a number of years ago. My brother generously provided an apartment at 328 Decatur St. Though she missed her friends and neighbors in New Haven, this living space was better and it was closer to her family, especially her little sister Yvonne. My aunt made new friends here and, as usual, got involved in her community. She became a valued member of the Decatur Block Association. Michael Spence, who was so helpful to her throughout her years on the block, was a very dear friend. Her Brooklyn friends and neighbors also included DuWayne, Betty, Miss Laura, Eva, Eric, Bessie, Dawn, Bernice, Mr. Grant, Joan, and more (whose names I do not know). Recently, a woman on the block told my mother that Miss Webb had inspired her.

Aunt Evelyn was a spiritual person, and a woman of quiet, but sincere patriotism. She was a Christian who liked to read the Bible and share a few prayers with friends. She loved her country. As a youth, she had considered enlisting to serve in the military, as a WAC or WAVE (female Army or Navy personnel), but that did not happen. She talked frequently about ways of bettering society and the country. My aunt believed strongly in the benefits of union membership and the rights of the American worker. She took great pride in the ascendance of President Barack Obama and the First Family, and believed that people of all backgrounds should have great and equal opportunities to achieve success. We found a certificate in her apartment, from the Southern Poverty Law Center. It reads:

Certificate of Appreciation Presented to

Ms. Evelyn M. Webb

In recognition of your important contribution to the ongoing fight Against hatred and intolerance in America.

The name shown above will be added to The Wall of Tolerance in Montgomery, Alabama, To provide inspiration to all those who choose To take a stand against hatred.

Thank you for taking a stand.

Morris Dees, Founder
Southern Poverty Law Center

Evelyn Webb was also a giving, charitable human being, with a generous heart. Her life as a laundry worker and honest union official did not make her wealthy. Though she was not well-off, she shared what she had with a variety of organizations that did work she believed was important for U.S. military veterans, struggling Native American tribes, unions, the disabled, and others. She supported institutions that strive for social justice and positive change. She shared with the people she knew and cared about. In fact, she continues to give. Her letter of final instructions leaves some of her things to family. She also designated the Salvation Army to be the recipient of much of what she left behind, with the desire for her former possessions to be of benefit to others in the community after she is gone.

Aunt Evelyn liked to complete word search puzzles, watch television, take walks, play the numbers, spend time in the park, engage in activities at the senior center, talk with friends, and spend time with loved ones. My aunt liked to keep up with the news, especially if the story had to do with labor. She liked to read about celebrities and checked on what was happening (or not really happening) in gossip columns. She liked slot machines when she rarely got the chance to play them. She loved watching sports on television, especially football, basketball, baseball, and tennis. She liked the Williams sisters, Tiger Woods, and thought people and the media were too hard on Allen Iverson and LeBron James. She loved and cheered for the New York teams – the Knicks, the Yankees, the Giants, the Jets, and the Mets. I’m not sure how she felt about the new Brooklyn Nets, but she probably liked them too. She also liked the Boston Celtics and Red Sox (a little too much, if you ask me), but that probably comes from four decades of living between New York and Boston. 

She loved her baby sister. The person that was closest and dearest to my aunt was my mother, Yvonne (Webb) Beecham. They saw each other often, talked on the phone frequently, and were always important parts of each other’s lives. My mother called Aunt Evelyn ​“Sis,” and they sometimes spoke multiple times, by phone, at length, on the same day. Bedridden, in her final days, it was my mother’s loving face and caring attention that made my aunt the happiest. In the hospital, my mom combed her big sister’s hair, wiped her cheeks, applied lip balm to her parched lips, and more. She could get a rise out of Aunt Evelyn, of joy or anger, better than anyone else. They talked about old times in Alabama, and discussed things with each other in ways that they couldn’t really share with anyone else. At times she fed Aunt Evelyn, and sometimes she encouraged her as she fed herself. My mother loves and misses her big sister. In one way or another, they had been looking out for each other and taking care of each other, at various times, for decades, since little baby Yvonne arrived. Perhaps the last loving deeds Yvonne will complete for her big sister will be to have her body cremated, conduct a simple memorial gathering, settle her personal affairs, and convey her ashes back to Alabama, in accordance with my aunt’s final wishes. Evelyn and Yvonne were always there for each other, in kinship, in friendship, and in everlasting sisterhood.

Her Final Days

Sometime during the weekend of April 28th, Aunt Evelyn suffered a devastating stroke on her right side (left MCA). The symptoms developed over the course of several hours. She felt terrible and had difficulty walking. That Monday, Earl and Michael Spence rushed her to the emergency room. Later we learned that this was her second stroke. Apparently, she had sustained a smaller stroke in March. She did not tell people about that stroke, and it went untreated. This time she was treated at Brooklyn Hospital and admitted to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, on the fifth floor. Once she stabilized, she was moved to a sixth floor room because the hospital did not have room in their rehabilitation unit.

The stroke left her unable to stand or walk on her own. She suffered constant pain and had difficulty speaking, with slurred speech. At times, she struggled to recall people’s names and remember some basic information. She required medication for pain management and to control her elevated blood pressure. The loss of fine motor skills was frustrating for her, and she was very easily exhausted. But when she perked up, especially with her little sister, my aunt’s spirit was very evident. One of her initial treating physicians was hopeful that, with immediate and aggressive rehabilitation, she would be able to live independently again, perhaps with some moderate assistance. Personally, I felt that, in my non-professional opinion, given the severity of the stroke’s impact, it would take a lot of luck, will, and therapy for my aunt to get back to 75 percent of her overall faculties and functioning.

Within a few days Aunt Evelyn was transferred to Nassau University Medical Center, in East Meadow, New York, to formally begin rehabilitation. She was moved here because it is an acute care facility, with a comprehensive treatment program, conducted by teams of professionals from multiple specialties. The hospital has a good reputation and is located closer to her little sister Yvonne. My mother, brother, sister, and I visited her regularly at both facilities. The doctors we met in her fifth floor room were very upbeat and reassuring. My aunt began rehabbing the next day. Unfortunately, she soon took a turn for the worse. After suffering some seizures, she was moved to a seventh floor room for closer monitoring. 

On May 8, 2013 we celebrated her 87th birthday. My mom, Earl, Tonya, my aunt’s dear friend Michael Spence, and I visited her bedside for a brief, low-key celebration. We read birthday cards to her, from us and other well-wishers, and she read some herself. There were a couple of decorative helium balloons and we enjoyed ice cream cake. The atmosphere was festive, but subdued.

Early on May 11, 2013 she ​“coded,” her heart stopped beating and she ceased breathing. The medical staff resuscitated her. This required a somewhat violent process, including vigorous chest compressions. Three times she coded, and three times she was resuscitated. The fourth time she coded, per family directions, the medical staff refrained from taking extreme measures. Had she awakened, her frail, octogenarian body would have been wracked with agony from the resuscitations. She could have suffered brain damage, cracked ribs, organ damage, and she would have had to deal with the affects of drugs that were administered through the ordeal. Instead, we were informed that she was not conscious for any of this. My Aunt Evelyn passed away, peacefully, at 6:25 pm on Saturday, May 11, 2013, at the age of 87 years and three days.

Epitaph

My Aunt Evelyn was a wise woman who counseled without preaching. She shared her wisdom and experience freely. She was an independent, honest, hard-working, spiritual person, who was grateful for the blessings in her life. She could be stubborn or morose at times. But she was a woman of fine character and strength, who was an advocate and a leader, before it was common for an African-American woman to be either. Aunt Evelyn was a compassionate soul, a great listener, and a true friend to the many neighbors who knew her in New Haven and Brooklyn. She was loved by, and is missed by, Webb family members scattered around the United States, especially in Alabama, New York, and Illinois.

Throughout the years, we (my mother, my late father, Earl, Tonya, and I) were fortunate to have had her here and accessible, in Connecticut, and then, for her last several years, in Brooklyn. She helped out when Earl, Tonya, and I were babies. Evelyn Webb was proud to be Tonya’s god-mother. She was a beloved sister and aunt who delighted in the development and accomplishments in the lives of her sister Yvonne, Earl and his family, Tonya and her family, and myself. My aunt helped welcome Harold and Marisol into our family, and she was thrilled about the births of our next generation. She was a cherished part of our parties, holiday dinners, birthday celebrations, family outings and other gatherings. Through good times and bad times, Aunt Evelyn was always a loving presence in our lives. For many years she was The Elder of our branch of the family – greatly loved and highly respected. She was there for us through our births, my father’s death, our games, our events, our graduations, our weddings, and more. She is survived by her brother James, her sister Juanita, her sister Yvonne, her nephews Mark and Earl, her niece and god-daughter Tonya, her grand-nieces Jourdin, Lauren, and Amber, and her grand-nephew Tyler.

My Aunt Evelyn
She was there for us.

Love,
Mark Anthony Beecham
May 31, 2013