LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — A Lafayette mother of three recently celebrated her 95th birthday.  

Eva Hamilton Senegal, 95 of Lafayette is fondly known as “Evon.”

“A lot of people don’t know me as Eva,” she said. “They call me Evon”

Evon was born on Long Plantation.

“Where plantation school is at, that’s where I was born,” Senegal said. “Right where the school is at.”

Her father worked as a sharecropper until 1939. His hard work paid off when he was finally able to purchase a piece of land marking a significant turning point for their family.

“I’m one of 11 children. I was number five,” Senegal said.  “I am the oldest living right now. Seven of them passed away.”

She had four babies. Her firstborn died just weeks after birth.

“My first baby died at 6 weeks old,” Senegal said. “I then had my daughter Frances, Russell, and Mona.”

She worked as a housekeeper to earn a little extra.  In those days, the priority was to care for the family which means working in the fields.

“We did it,” she said. “We went through it, all of us kids. We worked hard.”

Eva says she always wanted to be a nurse.

“The kids have much more chances now than at that time,” she said. “We used to buy our clothes on sale at Heymann’s a long time ago and we were glad to have that, you know.”

Her advice is for the youth: Steer clear of trouble, don’t throw your life away, and do the right thing.

“That’s my great-grandson right there,” she said. “I tell them don’t get themselves in trouble because when they do it hurts us too. It hurts the family too, you know. It does.”

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