Eva Eileen (Pontious) Surridge, 90, of Pittsburg, passed away at 1:55 a.m. Sunday, May 17, 2026, at Via Christi Village.
She was born March 12, 1936, on a farm one mile West of Erie, Kansas to Ira Darrell and Nellie May (Janssen) Pontious. She attended grade school for all eight years at Timber Hill, a one room school) south of Dennis. She graduated from Labette County High School in 1953 at Altamont, Kansas. She has resided in Erie, Timber Hill near Dennis, and moved to Parsons in 1950 with her parents and three brothers, and for the past several years in Pittsburg. She and her husband also had a farm one mile west of Strauss for over 35 years.
On September 18, 1954, she married Roy Lee Surridge of Straus at the First United Methodist Church Parsonage at Columbus, Kansas. He preceded her in death on November 13, 2020.
She was a life member of the Pontious Family Association since 1987 and Board of Directors member since 1999. She was a 55-year member of Rob Morris Chapter No. 74, Order of the Eastern Star of which she was Treasurer for over 27 years. She was a member of the Pasto Matrons and Past Patrons Club of District 4. She received the Grand Cross of Color from the International Order of Rainbow for Girls. She also was a member of the Social Order of Rainbow for Girls. She also was a member of The Social Order of the Beauchant, an auxiliary of the Knights Templar for since 1968, 58 years. She belonged to the Baxter Springs Miners Camping Club and the Kansas Excel Camping Club. She participated in the Kiwanis Pancake Day with her husband, Roy, for over 61 consecutive years.
Survivors include two brothers, James Leroy Pontious of Pittsburg, and Loren Pontious of Winfield, one niece, Lucinda Comstock of Winfield, and three grand nieces and two grand nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and an infant daughter and one brother Alvin Eugene Pontious.
A Graveside service will be held 1:00 p.m. (Thursday) May 21st, at the McCune Cemetery, in McCune, Kansas with Pastor Jim Sukraw officiating. Burial will follow the services. In lieu of flowers it is suggested that contributions be made to Order of Eastern Star Olive Chapter #13 of Ft. Scott. These may be left at or mailed to the Brenner Mortuary, 114 E. 4th St., Pittsburg, KS 66762. Friends may leave condolences online at www.brennermortuary.com. Arrangements are under the direction of the Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg.