Evangeline Roberta Coeyman died August 6, 2016 after decline through terminal dementia. Daughter of Gertrude and Wharton Schuler, she was born in Vera Cruz on October 8, 1921.

A 1939 graduate of Emmaus High School and St. Luke's School of Nursing in 1942, in March 1943 Evangeline enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps as 2nd Lieutenant. After basic training in Louisiana, Camp Carson, and Denver, she deployed to Europe for 18 months, landing in England shortly after D-Day in June 1944. Her 59th Field Hospital unit was assigned to follow General Patton across Europe: she saw Paris at liberation, the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, and after fighting ended, Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, Austria. Her photo nursing the wounded appeared in the 1945 Victory issue of Yank magazine.

After Europe, she nursed in Hampton, VA for a year. She returned to St. Luke's in 1947, advancing to head nurse, supervisor, and instructor 1960 – 1989. She became Faculty Emeritus in 2006 when a scholarship was created in her name. She earned a B.S. from Univ. of Pennsylvania in 1961 and a B.A. from Temple Univ. in 1970. On retirement she lived in south Allentown.

She was often recognized for war service, as in the Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress; the National World War II Memorial, Washington; Women in Military Service for America Memorial, Arlington; and War College Heritage Center, Carlisle PA. She received two prestigious awards: the Lillian K. Keil Military Nursing Award in 2009 and the French Legion of Honor in 2010. Her community service included Lehigh Valley Military Affairs Council; Lehigh Valley Veterans History Project Round Table; Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge; and Daughters of the American Colonists. She often lectured about the War. She was a member of St. John's Church in Emmaus. Creative and generous, she enjoyed travel and was devoted to her daughter's family.

Survivors: Pre-deceased by brothers Paul and Kermit, she is survived by sisters Betty Stampar and Lucille Derr; daughter Barbara Coeyman; and grandchildren, Patrick and Amanda Coeyman Cleary. Her marriage to Robert Coeyman was short-lived.

Services: An interment with full military honors: National Cemetery of Indiantown Gap. Annville, PA, Friday Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. A service in Celebration of Evangeline's Life: Laros Auditorium, Doctor's Pavilion St. Luke's Hospital, 701 Ostrum St., Fountain Hill, Saturday Oct. 8, 10:30 a.m., followed by luncheon reception.

Contributions: In lieu of flowers, checks are welcome made to "Schantz Funeral Home," 250 Main St., Emmaus PA 18049 with "Alumni Association, St. Luke's School of Nursing, ERC Scholarship" and/or "PTSD Support for Veterans" on memo line. For more information: barbaracoeyman@comcast.net .