Eeda was born on June 2, 1924 to Axel and Nyna Johnson in a house on Second Street (which would become Washington Street). The family’s roots were already in Oregon for decades. In 1903, Eeda’s grandfather and uncle started the Oregon Drug Store which sold notions, patent medicines, and did a big business in ice cream. Axel worked worked in the store until he later took over the business.
Eeda met her husband Don Lumley when her father brought him home for dinner. Don was in the Air Corps stationed at Truax Field in Madison and he was hitchhiking to Janesville to see the glider school. At the time, several Rock County farms provided land for contract glider pilot training to the United States Army Air Forces. Their mission was to train unpowered glider pilots. However, with gas rationing, Don had only gotten as far as the Oregon Drug Store where he asked Axel for a meal. Don and Eeda were married on December 22,1942.
Off and on during the war, Eeda worked for the Commonwealth Telephone Company. After World War II, Eeda and Don settled in Oregon. In 1951, Eeda went to work for Wisconsin Bell where she worked for 29 years, retiring in 1982. Eeda was a life member of Telephone Pioneers of America, American Legion Auxiliary.
In her retirement, Eeda was sensitive to the fact that bits of Oregon’s physical history were being lost. She watched the local blacksmith shop in downtown Oregon being torn down and felt inspired to begin a historical society for Oregon. Challenged by her mother to “do something about it,” Eeda enlisted the Oregon Observer to publish an article about creating a historical society. As it turned out, there was strong support in the community, which ultimately led to the creation of the Society.
On September 9, 1987, the first meeting for the historical society was held with 16 people in attendance. With interest in forming historical society, they contacted Tom McKay at the State Historical Society for guidance. Mr. McKay came to speak to the group in October, where 30 people attended. By-laws were adopted on November 18, 1987 and an interim Board of was formed. With all the paperwork in place, the Oregon Area Historical Society became incorporated on January 13, 1988. The first official Board of Directors elected at the first annual membership meeting on March 10, 1988: Eeda Lumley (President), Troy Drummond (Vice-President), Fay Schneider (Secretary), Mary Hauschild (Treasurer) Martha Curless, R. Maxwell Gefke, Florice Paulson, Susan Shedivy, and Joan Wethal.
Eeda died on July 11, 2012.