Eva Carper

One perk of cancer is you get to write your own obituary. I was born in Ocean Springs, MS 7/2/1982 to Robert “Bobby” & Brenda Duncan of Vancleave, MS. 

I grew up riding horses, participating in shows, 4-H and did everything from Dressage to 30 mile endurance rides on my Arabian mare Costa and gelding Jara. My childhood was full of nature: fishing, boat rides on the bayou then hiking and trail rides in the mountains once we moved to the Pacific Northwest. 

I graduated from Walla Walla High School attending the running start program and started college at 17 at Western Washington University. After graduating with a Creative Writing degree, I published a couple short stories and then moved from Bellingham to Spokane, WA and started a successful career in real estate. 

Chad Carper and I married on Feb 21, 2010 and we adopted a son and had a daughter. My husband and my children were my world. At the age of 36 I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer and declared cancer free within a year, but at the age of 40 the cancer came back. At 41 I was declared cancer free again, but then it returned. It was not a battle or a fight, but a journey. I did everything I could to be here as long as possible for my children, husband, family and friends. My motto was “We Have Today”. 

I was preceded in death by my mother, father, grandparents; Rayford & Dorothy Keen and Robert & Elizabeth Duncan, as well as my aunt, Myrna Loy. 

I’m survived by my devoted husband, Chad, and my greatest blessings, our two precious children, Jones and Nola. I’m your angel now. I love you so much. 

I am also survived by uncle Michael (Sandra) Keen and aunt April Keen, cousins Josh (Sarah) Keen, Keri (Ladd) Flurry, Brandon (Marcie) Keen, and Ashley (Eric) Brown that provided hospice care through Hospice of Light and my uncle Carl Duncan. My Godfamily Deedy Holden, Bobbie Jane Nolan and her son Holden, Kyle (Melanie) Holden, Sis (Pat) Burlison and Bart (Michelle) Holden. 

God blessed me with a beautiful life and wonderful friends. I had a special connection to the Spirit world and always said that we’ll all be together again someday. Heaven is a place I saw long before my passing and I’m grateful to be home. 

The Mississippi Celebration of life will be Saturday, 11 am on April 5, 2025 at her family’s home, 10112 John’s Bayou Road, Vancleave, MS. 

A Celebration of Life will be held in Spokane later this spring for Family and Friends there. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider donating to The IBC Network Foundation and/or the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery in Eva’s memory.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Eva Carper.