EUNICE CARLSON YERGIN of Green Valley died, sitting up reading a book, early on Oct. 26, 2009, in Tucson. She was 86. While her passing was unexpected, her family are grateful that it was peaceful and she was doing something she so loved.

Always in her life there were books; she passed on a lifelong love of reading to her two daughters. Always too there were cats, often dogs and other pets; her deep love for animals is another legacy. While there was no cat in her final days due to her mobility problems, it is fitting and comforting that there was a book. (It was “These Three Remain,” in case you are wondering - a Pride and Prejudice story told as if from Mr. Darcy’s point of view. “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen was her favorite book; she re-read it many times and saw every version ever filmed!)

Eunice was born Aug. 2, 1923 in New York City. At Irving Trust Co. in Manhattan, she became one of the International Letters of Credit Department’s ‘best men” at a time when the knowledge and advice of women, however first-rate, was not always deemed tolerable. She loved her work!

She married Paul at the church where they met and where his father was minister, in June 1947. Settling in Troy, N.Y., where Paul was a physics professor at RPI, Eunice did much volunteering, even after returning to full-time work in the International Department at Key Bank, where she became a vice president.

In 1993, Eunice and Paul retired to southern Arizona. Eunice was active in the Tri-State Club, Soroptimists, and Valley Presbyterian Church.

People remark on Eunice’s wonderful and seemingly constant smile, her warm friendliness, her lively intelligence and quick, witty sense of humor. She loved the British TV shows and was a Monty Python fan from the early days. Despite health issues in her later years, she remained sunny and optimistic.

Eunice is survived and deeply missed by husband Paul in Tucson; daughter Ann and son-in-law Ross in Melbourne, Australia; and daughter Susan in Missoula, Mont.; as well as grand-cats Axel and Zoe in Australia and grand-dog Soup in Montana.

A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, Nov. 9 at 1:30 p.m. at Valley Presbyterian Church in Green Valley. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to The Animal League of Green Valley .