Eva Ellis Fitzsimmons

CHARLESTON, SC – Eva Irene Ellis Fitzsimmons, 78, passed away peacefully on April 29, 2025, on Daniel Island in Charleston, South Carolina.  Born on October 25, 1946, in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, she was the daughter of the late Edith Arlene Owens Ellis and John Henry Ellis.  She was preceded in death by her sister, Debra Ellis Phelps of Nashville, Tennessee.

Known to her loved ones as Eve, she lived a vibrant and adventurous life that began in Rocky Mount and took her across the country and around the world.  She made homes in Virginia, Florida, Texas, California, Maryland, Kentucky, Washington, DC, South Carolina, and Berlin, Germany.  Her career in civil service spanned decades, where she proudly served as a financial analyst and comptroller in various U.S. military-supporting agencies.

Eve was beautiful, intelligent, and quick-witted, with a deep appreciation for elegance in all its forms. Her interests included interior design, architecture, antiques, fashion, jewelry, and flowers.  She had a sharp eye for detail and a great love for artful living.  More than anything, she loved her family fiercely, including the many beloved cats with whom she shared her life.

She is survived by her daughters, Karen S. Coltrane (Richard B. Coltrane III) of Charleston, SC, and Kari L. Oblon (The Honorable David A. Oblon) of Fairfax, VA; her cherished grandchildren, Samuel Coltrane of New York, NY, Nathan Oblon of Asheville, NC, and Jessica Oblon of Marthasville, MO; her sisters, Sue Ellis Toffton of Rocky Mount and Joan Ellis Elliott of Lawton, OK, and Tina Ellis Schnipke of Bluffton, OH; and her brothers, John L. Ellis of Rocky Mount and Adam Ellis of Lawton, OK.

A Funeral Service to celebrate Eve’s life will be held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at 12:00 PM in the Chapel of Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home & Cremation Services.  Entombment will follow the service at Rocky Mount Memorial Park Chapel of Memories Mausoleum.  Visitation with the family will be from 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM prior to the service in the Atrium of Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Eve’s memory to Friends of Rocky Mount Animals, Inc., PO Box 8766, Rocky Mount, NC  27804.

Arrangements entrusted to Wheeler & Woodlief Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 1130 N. Winstead Avenue, Rocky Mount, NC 27804.  You may share memories and condolences with the family by visiting www.wheelerwoodlief.com.