Evelyn Yorke Manierre

Worcester-Evelyn "Evie" (Cowan) Yorke Manierre, 97, died peacefully at her LiveWell home in Plantsville, CT, on Dec. 30, 2020. A loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Evie was born on July 5, 1923, in Cambridge, MA, the oldest child of Julia (Yorke) and James R. Cowan. She was a graduate of Cambridge Latin and volunteered as a Navy WAVE during World War II, stationed in New Orleans, LA. After the war, she attended business school and worked as a secretary in Boston, MA. Evie met her future husband, Rev. Lincoln Stanley (Stan) Manierre, at her home church, First Baptist Church of Cambridge, MA, where they were married in 1949. That began a devoted partnership in Christian ministry, as in 1954 Evie and Stan were commissioned as American Baptist missionaries to Japan where they served for twenty years while raising their four children.

When they returned to the U.S. in 1974, Evie worked for TABCOM (The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts) in Boston, MA, while she and Stan lived in Weston and Methuen, MA. Their home in Methuen in the '80s was the site of many family gatherings, including Fourth of July picnics that included some competitive games of volleyball and cribbage. In the early '90s, Evie and Stan made their new home in the Briarwood Continuing Care Retirement Community in Worcester, MA, where Evie remained active and made many new friends, and where she was a faithful member of The First Baptist Church of Worcester. Evie's kindness, generosity and love will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Evie was predeceased by her husband, Stan. They had been married 59 years, agreeing on just about everything. The exception: having grown up in Cambridge, MA, she was a Red Sox fan. Having grown up in Hartford, CT., he was a lifelong Yankees fan.

Evie also was predeceased by her brother, James Cowan of Waltham, MA, and sister Muriel Brown of Cambridge. MA. She leaves one sister, Jean Grant of Cambridge. MA, and four children: Debbie Geever and her husband Dan of Hanson, MA; Ruth Weis and her husband Kent of Elmore, OH; Paul Manierre and his wife Amy of Avon Park, FL; and Becky Otterbein and her husband Jeff of Manchester, CT; nine grandchildren (Raymond, Brian, Matthew, and Colby Geever; Azure Reese and Brooke Weis; Jonathan Manierre; Stacy Firth and Michael Otterbein); and 13 great grandchildren. Evie was also predeceased by her grandson, David Manierre.

A memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to LiveWell (Plantsville, CT) and Briarwood Retirement Community (Worcester, MA). The family wishes to extend its appreciation to the entire staff and Evie's extended families at Briarwood and LiveWell.