Eva T. (Pina) Coombs, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, died peacefully on April 24, 2010, at the age of 85.
Born in New Bedford, Eva was the first of ten children born to the late Alfred and Maria Pina. At the age of eighteen, she traveled to Fort Ord Army base, California to marry the love of her life, Burt E. Coombs of Mashpee MA, who preceded her in death in 1996. They were married for 53 years and had three children. Eva lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband and children for 35 years.
Following her retirement and his, Eva and Burt returned to New England and lived for many years in Onset. In 2005, she relocated to Lawrenceville, N.J. to be closer to her daughters and grandchildren.
During her working years, Eva held various positions, but was particularly proud of the years she spent working for and retiring from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Her career began as an Unemployment Claims Interviewer and she rose through the ranks to Claims Supervisor of one of the largest offices in Philadelphia. Her career was to culminate as a Hearing Officer for the Pennsylvania Unemployment Claims Board of Review. She often spoke of this position with particular pride and a sense of accomplishment due to the hundreds of unemployment cases she fairly and decisively adjudicated.
Fairness and a strong work ethic were important factors in Eva’s life. She would not hesitate to intervene to right what she considered to be a wrong. At the beginning of her career with the State of Pennsylvania, the employees were not represented by a union. She often spoke of instances of unfairness to workers and, at times, arbitrary forms and levels of disciplinary actions by management.
When workers were approached by a union organizer, she decided that this was the time to make a difference. She actively began to organize a union to represent Pennsylvania State Unemployment Insurance employees. In the union, she actively took on the role of negotiator and became the first woman to sit on a panel and successfully negotiate a contract between the State of Pennsylvania and the non-managerial employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
While living in Philadelphia, at the young age of 55, Eva graduated with an Associate’s Degree from Ellen Cushing Junior College in Bryn Mawr, PA. She always felt this was one of her greatest individual accomplishments.
Eva’s second love in life was her ability to create things with her hands. From a young age she sewed, knitted and crocheted, also creating and collecting antique porcelain dolls became one of her favorite past times.
She also became an avid writer. At the time of her death, Eva had composed a history of her family stretching back over 100 years. The family history includes biographies, anecdotes and she collected and authored a brief collection of Cape Verdean folk and fairy tales which was published and is in the Library of Congress.
Eva was a member of the Franciscan Order and a parishioner of St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church, Hamilton, NJ, where she participated in the Senior Club. One of her favorite activities in the club was making rosaries for parishioners in various Third World parishes. She also enjoyed her membership in the Bible study group of St. David the King Roman Catholic Church and the Red Hat Club of Lawrenceville.
Eva wrote in her memoirs that she was the “Sum of many labels-mother, daughter, wife, sister, sister-in-law, grandmother, and great grandmother.” She performed a variety of roles in her lifetime as nurturer, counselor, confidant and friend and all who knew her can attest to the fact that she executed those roles with elegance, compassion and wit.
She is survived by her son, Albert E.M. Coombs of Fort Myers, Florida; daughter Andrea-Marie Coombs and son-in-law Reid Howard of Robbinsville, New Jersey; daughter, Maria Coombs-Hunter and son in-law Timothy Hunter of West Windsor, New Jersey; her two sisters, Anita Robinson of Mattapoisett and Helen Jenkins of New Bedford; her five brothers, Alfred Pina, Jr. of East Providence, RI; Manuel Pina and Frank Pina, both of New Bedford, Richard Pina of Fairhaven, and Dr. Burt Pina of Marion. She was the sister of the late Antone “Mickey” Pina of New Bedford and Edwin “Baby” Pina of Phoenix, AZ. There are seven grandchildren, Ahmarr S Coombs, Albert T. Smith III and Jonathan N. Smith, Michael and Amanda-Marie Howard, and Gabrielle Hunter. There are also two great-grandchildren, Ahniyah and Isaiah Coombs, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Calling hours will be on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 from 4-8 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park Street, New Bedford. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:00 AM on Thursday, May 6, 2010 at Our Lady of the Assumption Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 47 South Sixth St., New Bedford, MA 02740. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.