Evelyn Marie (Anderson) Kopel

TOPSFIELD - Evelyn Marie (Anderson) Kopel left this earth peacefully on May 20, 2020 in Danvers, Massachusetts to be reunited with her beloved companion John J. (Jack) Milligan. Eve was born on January 2, 1930 in Boston, the 4th child of Harry Anderson and Esther Pauline Anderson who emigrated from Sweden in 1912.

Raised and educated in Boston she was a graduate of Miss Allen’s Back Bay Modeling and Finishing School. Besides being a successful teenage model for the Allen Agency, she also trained other young modeling students like her lifelong friend Lila. Eve shifted gears and began working for Ironwear, the first company to manufacture pantyhose, in the early 1960’s quickly becoming their top sales manager. She traveled extensively in the United States, Puerto Rico and St Thomas promoting women’s hosiery for Burlington Industries, J. P. Stevens, and Dan River as a Fashion Consultant. Her duties included arranging sales promotions in major department stores and appearing on local radio and television stations.

In the early 1970’s a move to the book publishing industry was precipitated by a change in marketing strategy in women’s hosiery. Appointed sales supervisor for Sundance Paperback Distributors of Littleton, MA she marketed books from leading publishers to schools, colleges, and libraries. Climbing the ladder in her new career Eve moved on to Barron’s Educational Series of New York and then to Contemporary Books of Chicago, IL. Her new responsibilities included servicing established book accounts, retail, and wholesale, opening new customer accounts and reactivating old book accounts up and down the East Coast. She excelled in sales management and her territory was so large that she often joked that when she died, we should bury her in her car. Eve retired in 1992.

Eve’s many achievements included membership in AWRT (American Women in Radio and Television), President of BPRNE (Book Publishers Representatives of New England), Author of “Tidbits from Eve”, a column that appeared in the early days of the Tri-Town Transcript published by Tony Gangi. As a volunteer, she was a great supporter of the Council on Aging and beginning in 2010 served as the Chairwoman of the Topsfield TRIAD for two years promoting safety for seniors. Eve lived most of her life in Topsfield and was well known for her parties, wedding receptions, Halloween celebrations and other gatherings at her home on Ipswich Road. She was a great party organizer, hostess and photographer.

Surviving Eve is her daughter, Robin Alice Kopel of Maine, her “stepdaughter” Patty Milligan Taylor and her husband Tim, their children Logan, Shannon, Ryan and Morgan of Crystal Lake , IL, his son, Peter Milligan, his wife Beth (Johnson) of Haverhill, MA, their children Connor and Caroline, her nieces Karen Egle-Gaber of Maine and Linnea Quinn of MA, her great-niece Adrienne Siciliano of NH, her cousin Ingeyard Gustav-Janson of Sweden, her nephews Richard, David and Raymond Siciliano, members of the Kopel family and her best friends-Gayle Casey, Tara McGrath and Erica Radway Kruger. She was predeceased by her parents, sisters, Ruth Egle, Barbara Siciliano, Esther Anderson, her brother, Paul Anderson, and many lifelong friends.

Eve and all her wild stories of her adventures in life will be greatly missed. We will always remember her wicked sense of humor and as a world traveler, her insight on the world. Eve traveled the world and lived the same way-with GUSTO! We have no doubt that when our time comes, she will meet us on the other side with a welcoming glass of champagne!

ARRANGEMENTS: If you wish to remember Eve, please consider a donation to the Topsfield Council on Aging, 8 West Common St., Topsfield, MA 01983. A memorial celebration party will be held when gathering is permitted. Assisting the family with the arrangements is the Peterson-O’Donnell Funeral Home, 167 Maple St., (rte 62) Danvers. www.odonnellfuneralservice.com

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