Unforgettable  Eve Crowell

Eve was born on a beautiful November day (the 4th) in 1974 at Boston-Lying-In Hospital to parents, Barbara (Lepley) and Robert Crowell. She was the second child and her brother Wyatt was 3 ½ years old at the time of her birth. She weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces and was 21 inches long.  Her pediatrician immediately predicted that she would be tall and he was right!  As a grown woman she was 5 feet 9 inches. 

Her first year of life Eve lived in Watertown MA and shortly before her first birthday, the Crowells moved to Winchester MA where they lived for the next five years.  Eve showed an early natural ability in swimming after two water baby classes and could swim without assistance by the age of 18 months. Early on she also showed musical talent and could carry a tune by the age of two. From the age of six, she was a strong and fearless skier. Her love of the water, snow and music stayed with her throughout her life.

The Crowells moved to the Encanto area of Phoenix Arizona in 1980.

Eve adored her friends, neighborhood, schools and her collection of animals...gerbils, hamsters, cats (Peter & Paul) and dog, Coco. Eve always felt sad that her family mutt Coco couldn’t even win “the ugliest dog” award at annual contests. She loved the beauty of the Sonoran desert with all of its wildflowers and wildlife and at a young age seemed to appreciate the magnificient sunsets, so often seen in the southwestern US. Eve also found rainbows fascinating and always seem in awe of their beauty.

Eve moved to Chicago in 1987 and attended 8th and 9th grades at the Latin School of Chicago. In 1989, she started high school at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton MA where she graduated in 1992.

She spent her college years at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and Wesleyan University in Middletown CT where she majored in Psychology and Sociology and graduated with honors in 1996. Eve loved college and as serious an academic student as she was, probably her two favorite courses were photography and a chemistry class, in which she learned to brew beer and created “Eve’s Evil Ale”.

After college, Eve worked for several years in a variety of positions including as a paralegal, youth counselor and research assistant, all of which helped her realize that she wanted to enter the field of law. She attended Pepperdine University for her first year of law school and then transferred to UCLA School of Law where she graduated in 2002 with her Juris Doctorate.

In October 2002, Eve joined the firm of Kirkland and Ellis in Los Angeles where she rapidly gained a reputation for intelligence, hard work, and collegiality. Eve worked in the litigation division and she distinguished herself by winning the firm’s  national mock trial  competitions in 2003 and 2004.  Eve had a strong sense of justice and especially enjoyed fighting  for underserved and disadvantaged populations. Posthumously, she and a team of colleagues were honored by the California State Bar for their work on their pro bono work on behalf of the Rancho Lost Amigos National Rehabilitation Center . Her family is extremely grateful to Kirkland and Ellis for providing legal assistance in establishing Eve’s Fund for Native American Health Initiatives, Inc., a not-for-profit organization founded by Eve’s father, Dr. Robert M. Crowell.  Please visit our website (click the icon below)to see how Eve’s legacy lives on.

Throughout her college and law school years, Eve worked hard to be fit. She participated in numerous triathlons and marathons throughout the country and inspired many friends and colleagues to do the same. She was especially proud of completing the LA Marathon in 2004, in spite of the unseasonably warm temperatures of 89 degrees.

Even though Eve had amazing successes, she fought many battles and demons.  From a fairly young age, she went through periods of depression, alcohol and substance abuse, eating disorders and other weaknesses.  She worked hard to overcome these conditions and participated in psychotherapy, twelve step programs and attended rehab several times. In spite of her profound beauty and well-conditioned body, she did not think she was “pretty” and suffered from body image distortions. She had frequent ups and downs and highs and lows. From most of the world, she hid these shadows...she was an amazing actress. In the end, she lost her battles and died as a result. 

We want to remember Eve as she was: sweet, sensitive, beautiful, brilliant, fun and funny, and most of all, human. Eve Erin Crowell...our precious daughter, the loved one of many.  Unforgettable Eve.

Barbara Crowell Roy

Sachseln Switzerland

2009