Eve Adams

(From Ozark Funeral Home)

“ Eve” Evadene (Donaghey) Adams, 85, of Southwest City, MO, passed away peacefully on September 27th, 2026 surrounded by her loving family.

A celebration of Eve’s life will be held this Friday, October 2nd at Southwest City First Baptist Church with visitation beginning at 10:00 am and service at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at Oakley Chapel Cemetery in Rogers, AR. at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials are being directed to either Crowder College Scholarship Fund or the Benton County 4H Scholarship Fund c/o the funeral home (make checks payable to either and mail to Ozark Funeral Home P.O. Box 520, Anderson, MO 64831). 

 

Eve was born at home, in Hindsville, Arkansas, on January 7th, 1941 during a terrible snowstorm, to Eddie Lee and Emily Evelyn (Wade) Donaghey. Her daddy lovingly called her his “Little Ice Princess.” Many of her birthdays were celebrated in the midst of snowstorms, much like the one that accompanied her birth.

Eve lived by a simple motto she learned as a child at Vacation Bible School: “I will do the best I can with what I have for Jesus’ sake today”. She carried those words with her throughout her life.

She graduated from Springdale High School. She was active in her church, Caudle Avenue Baptist Church.

She married the love of her life, John Adams on April 5th, 1959. Together they built a life centered on faith, family, hard work and love. She followed him and his dream of becoming a dairy farmer all the way to Maryland and back to Arkansas. Being a farmer’s wife was not always an easy life, but Eve believed God had given her the attributes and strength needed for the job. Through every challenge, she trusted that God would provide.

That faith was especially evident after Eve and John had five small children in six and half years. Their farmhouse was struck by lightning in the middle of the night and caught fire. Everyone escaped unharmed, but the family home and all its belongings burned to the ground before their eyes. In the days that followed, neighbors, family, friends and even strangers showed up after their morning chores to help build the Adams family a new home. It was a home built by love. The kindness and generosity shown to the young, cash-strapped family left a lasting impression on Eve and John.

Eve worked for many years at Tucker Abstract Company in Bentonville, Arkansas, were she made many lifelong friends. She was a working mother and grandmother, but somehow she found the energy to create the most incredible “cousin” parties for her grandchildren. There were tea parties complete with dress-up and manners, cardboard-box cities governed by the children, campouts on the creek, and businesses created and ran by children. Whatever she came up with, the grandchildren could always count on her creative thinking games, including the familiar question: “You are going on a trip out West in a covered wagon and can only take one item. What do you take and why?” … or any variation of that. Eve was intentional about creating lasting memories with her grandchildren, and those memories remain among her greatest gifts to them.

Eve eventually retired from paid employment to become the “Cattle Baroness” of Adams Cattle Co. The title took on greater meaning after John’s death in 2020. She continued to successfully run and manage the ranch for five more years. Ranch foreman, Ted Garrett, continued to “ride for the brand” and work with her until the end of the Adams Cattle Co. Angus operation. Eve fulfilled the promise she made to John before he passed, continuing the ranch for as long as she could. Praise be to God!

Many years later, after selling their farm in Arkansas and purchasing a ranch in rural Southwest City, MO they kept a promise they had made to God that when they were able, they would pass that blessing onto others.

John and Eve did so in many ways. They built and donated the Southwest City Fire station to the city and helped bring much needed cell phone coverage to the area by having a cell tower installed on their farm. They were generous donors to Crowder College, and Eve worked tirelessly on the Crowder Foundation Board helping its fundraising efforts to reach new levels of giving for student scholarships. She was also instrumental in helping make the Southwest City Library a reality. She and John donated funds for its bell tower because they believed the bell tower, was “the heartbeat of the city.” To Eve it serves as a reminder that local people and local money can accomplish anything when they work together.

Eve had a lifelong passion for learning and trying new things. She taught herself QuickBooks at age 80 and used it to manage the ranch bookkeeping. Anyone who knew Eve knew she could find something in common with just about anyone she talked to. She took up watercolor painting and became quite good at it, creating personalized cards for friends and family. 

 

She loved flower gardening and maintained beautiful gardens everywhere she lived. She was also an incredible homemaker, always able to make a delicious meal appear from what seemed like nothing. She loved trying new recipes, much to the delight of her Scrabble ladies.

Eve especially enjoyed traveling with John or her family to new places, both domestically and internationally. She was so happy when they sold their dairy so they could finally take all 5 of her adult children on a beach vacation! For their 50th wedding anniversary, they took almost all of the family on a cruise to different Hawaiian Islands. Then on their 55th anniversary, they once again took most of the family on an Alaskan cruise and land tour. Eve told John that if he had done this when their children were young, it would have been a lot less expensive for him.

She stayed informed about current events and, more importantly, how those events affected the lives of her many family members. Above all, Eve was a dedicated prayer warrior for her family. She trusted that God would take care of the things she could not and she faithfully carried her family in prayer throughout her life.

Eve was preceded in death by her husband, John Adams, her parents, Eddie Lee and Emily Evelyn Donaghey, her brothers Howard Donaghey and Charles Donaghey, her granddaughter, Angie Adams, and several great-grand children who preceded her in death through miscarriage and whom she looked forward to meeting again in heaven.

Eve is survived by her five children:

John Adams II and wife Rhonda, of Rogers, Arkansas, Cindy Adams of Bentonville, Arkansas, Debbie Alsup and husband Danny, of Gravette, Arkansas, David Adams and wife Jennifer, of Bella Vista, Arkansas and Elizabeth Haught and husband Brian, of Siloam Springs Arkansas.

Her family continued to grow through the generations, bringing Eve tremendous joy. She was also blessed with 10 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

She was a proud grandmother to Emily Douglas, John Adams III, Kristopher Adams and wife Jessika, Felicia Bowls and husband Jon, Jacy Lippoldt and husband Josh, Jessica Horton and husband Ross, Andrew Haught and wife Bekah, Kirby Scott and husband Connor, Carson Alsup and wife Ashton, Sarah Jackson and husband Solo.

Eve was also blessed with a beautiful legacy of great-grandchildren: Tatijanna Cagatay and husband Efe, Jaxon, Jakob, Jamez and Gwen Douglas, Alycia Collins and husband Dakota, Jade, Jaelynn, and John Adams IIII, Abigayle Bowls, Raynee, Xander, Phoenix and Nolan Hoffman, Maverick and Everleigh Adams, Raiden and Cooper Horton, Rance, Merit, and Chet Lippoldt, Anderson and Benjamin Haught, Abigail Alsup and Elle Jackson.

Her legacy continued into another generation with her great-great-grandchildren, Levent and Dunja Cagatay.

Eve’s proudest achievement was her family. She loved them deeply, prayed for them faithfully, and intentionally filled their lives with love, laughter, faith and lasting memories. Her legacy will live on through them.

Eve’s faith was an important part of her life and of the foundation she and John created for their family. That faith, along with the love, traditions and values she passed down, will continue through the generations that follow her.

Eve’s family will remember a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother whose life became woven into the lives of so many. Her story does not end with her passing. It continues in the family she raised, the memories they carry, the faith she shared and the generations who will know they are part of the legacy Eve and John began together.