Eleanor Phyllis Hamel

Oct. 16, 1927 - Jan. 7, 2025

Eleanor “Phyllis” Hamel (Evans) passed away peacefully on January 7, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. She was surrounded by the love of her children and grandchildren. She remained active and independent up until just days before her passing. Phyllis was born in Bermuda, to Richard Evans and Elizabeth Potter on October 16, 1927. Though she lived there for only a few years, Bermuda held a lasting place in her heart, with cherished memories of her grandfather’s garden. These early experiences fostered a lifelong love of nature and beauty that shaped her artistic and personal pursuits. Her childhood was marked by challenges and resilience. Following her parents’ divorce in 1930, she moved to the United States with her mother and grandmother (Rosa Carlotta Vincent Potter, known as “Tuttie”), living in various places, notably Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. Despite frequent relocations and withdrawals from primary schools, Phyllis developed a deep love of learning. She attended Holton-Arms School in Washington, D.C. from 1939, graduating in 1947 and participated in war-time volunteer efforts. In 1948, she married Leonard Francis Lloyd Baynham, with whom she shared a love of adventure and boating on the Potomac River. In 1948, Leonard took her on a trip to Wales to reconnect with long-lost family members on her father’s side. This reunion was a profound experience, allowing her to rediscover her Welsh heritage and family. The family lived in Arlington, VA. Between 1950 and 1957, Phyllis and Leonard had four children: Morgan, Owen, Meredith, and Gwyneth. They divorced in 1958. In 1959 Phyllis married John Jacob (“Jake”) Hamel. They lived for a time in New York City where Gwyneth was adopted, then settled in Princeton, NJ in 1960. Jake and Phyllis then had two children: Jennifer, and John Eric. During her nearly five decades in Princeton, Phyllis immersed herself in community life. She served as a board member at All Saints Church Nursery School and the Neuro-Psychiatric Institute. She was a member and President of the Garden Club and played an active role at Trinity Church and its Altar Guild. For a brief time, Phyllis was a runway model for Bill Blass. Her passion for art and nature flourished. She took horticulture courses at the New York Botanical Gardens, pursued painting, and started a successful floral design business, Flora Interior Designs, eventually owning and running the Princeton Flower Shop until its sale in 1986. In 2008, Phyllis and Jake moved to Eugene, Oregon to be close to Gwyneth and her two children. There Phyllis embraced a vibrant and fulfilling life as a “Tuesday Regular” volunteer at Hendricks Park, member of the board of Friends of Hendricks Park, and was instrumental in raising funds for the beloved rhododendron garden. She was active on the board of the Eugene Garden Club; member of the Maude Kerns, Emerald Art Centers; and the Campbell Center, where she participated in a weekly rug-hooking group. She joined the Plein Air Painters and created watercolor greeting cards sold in local shops. Her artistic talents were recognized in publications and art shows, and her work—including a rug design of a tiger rug featured in Rug Hooking Magazine—was widely admired. She found immense joy in Eugene’s artistic and nature-loving communities, especially after Jake passed away in 2012. Phyllis attended and volunteered arranging altar flowers at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. These activities helped her form deep friendships that enriched her final years. Phyllis was a woman of resilience, creativity, and boundless curiosity. Her love for the people around her, beauty in nature and art, her pet dogs and cats all remained central throughout her life. She leaves behind a legacy of strength, courage, paintings, sketches, hooked rugs, and an enduring appreciation for the natural world. She is a role model for fierce independence and perseverance. Phyllis is survived by her six children: Morgan Frances Baynham (Laura), Owen Richard Baynham (Patti), Meredith Amy Baynham Watters (John), Gwyneth Elizabeth Hamel Iredale, Jennifer Potter Hamel, and John Eric Hamel; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Eugene, OR on May 31st, 2025 at 1 pm. Her remains will be laid to rest at the family graveyard at Trinity Church in Princeton. If you wish to honor Phyllis’s memory please share in her support of Friends of Hendricks Park by making a donation on http://www.friendsofhendrickspark.org