Eva Marie Nadeau
August 6, 1964 – May 20, 2025
Eva Marie Nadeau, 60, of Texarkana, passed away on May 20, 2025, in Texarkana, Arkansas. Born on August 6, 1964, in Texarkana, Texas, Eva lived a life full of purpose, passion, and love. She was a devoted mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, educator, musician, and friend who made a lasting impact on everyone she met.
Eva devoted her professional life to education, first as a dedicated and inspiring band director and later as a respected principal. She had a deep passion for music, especially for the trumpet, which she played with great talent and joy. Her love for music was infectious, and she passed it on to hundreds of students during her career. She believed in the power of education to change lives and worked tirelessly to support and uplift her students. Her leadership style was grounded in compassion, strength, and a strong belief in each individual’s potential.
But Eva’s life was far more than her career. She had a deep love for the outdoors and found peace and joy in nature—whether she was building a fire, gardening, or simply sitting outside with her beloved pets. She was an avid country music fan, and her home was often filled with music, laughter, and good conversation.
To know Eva was to know kindness. She had a gift for making people feel seen, heard, and valued. Her laugh was contagious, her advice was honest and heartfelt, and her heart was open to all. She formed deep, lasting friendships that spanned decades and distances. Whether she had known you for years or had just met you, Eva treated everyone with the same warm, genuine care. Her ability to connect with people on a meaningful level made her beloved by many—she had hundreds of friends who cherished her.
Eva was deeply rooted in family and loved them fiercely. She was preceded in death by her father, Hoyle Garner; her grandparents, Leroy and Johnnie Chambers and Jack and Eva Garner; and her uncle, Jimmy Chambers. Their memories lived on in the stories she told and the values she carried forward.
She is survived by her loving mother, Sue Donnell, and her devoted stepfather, Don Donnell of Texarkana; her brother, Jack Garner of Texarkana; her son, Will Hankins Jr., and daughter-in-law, Megan Hankins, along with her cherished grandchildren, Millie and Tripp Hankins of Fort Smith, Arkansas; her son, Andrew Nadeau of Texarkana; her daughter, Rachel Nadeau of Washington, D.C., Stepson; Chris Nadeau, daughter in law Emily Nadeau, grandson Teddy Nadeau of Pantego, Tx and Stepdaughter Taylor Matthews and son in law Brendon Matthews of Texarkana, TX. Eva was incredibly proud of her children and grandchildren, and her love for them was evident in everything she did.
A memorial service to celebrate Eva’s life will be held on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. at Chapelwood Funeral Home in Texarkana. Friends, family, and former students are invited to attend and share in remembering a life that gave so much to so many.
Eva Marie Nadeau’s legacy will live on in the music she inspired, the lessons she taught, and the love she gave so freely. She was a light in many lives, and though she will be deeply missed, the impact she made will continue to shine for generations to come.
