Sweet Eva ‘Tee Eva’ Perry has died

By Geraldine Wyckoff
Contributing Writer

Eva Perry, affectionately and widely known in her home town as Tee Eva, was also dubbed with respect by some as the praline lady or the pie lady. Whether selling her sweet treats from a basket as she walked through the streets of New Orleans or later when she sold her delicious, handmade individual-sized pies and pralines from her uptown restaurants, Perry was authentic both as a baker and a person. Eva “Tee Eva” Perry, who was also recognized for her involvement with the Baby Dolls Carnival tradition, died on Thursday, June 7, 2018. She was 83.

Perry, whose family came from St. Charles Parish, learned her culinary skills watching her grandmother make sweet potato and pecan pies as well as pralines that would become what many considered Tee Eva’s signature creation. Folks in California got a taste of Louisiana when Perry moved there in the early 1980s and operated a catering business that, it’s been written, offered her the opportunity to meet the “stars.” While on the west coast, she also held cooking classes.

Tee Eva, the “Tee,” as most Louisianians know means aunt in the local vernacular, returned to New Orleans in 1987 and sold her creations as she strolled the streets. In doing so, she followed a long tradition of such vendors whose occupation allowed them to make a living and gave them independence.

EVA ‘TEE EVA’ PERRY

Perry opened her first “brick and mortar” restaurant, Tee Eva’s Famous Old Fashioned Pies & Pralines, uptown on Freret Street, moved the business down to Magazine Street and in 2009 moved further up Magazine to 5200 Magazine Street near Dufossat St. The restaurant is now owned and operated by her granddaughter.

Tee Eva was the third cousin of Antoinette K-Doe, the wife of the legendary singer Ernie K-Doe whose mega-hit “Mother-In-Law” would become the name of the North Claiborne Avenue club that he, with much help from Antoinette, would establish. Dressed in matching outfits Tee Eva and Antoinette would back up K-Doe on his gigs.

Following his death in 2001 and in order to keep his memory alive, Antoinette, with Tee Eva by her side, formed the Ernie K-Doe Baby Dolls, The group, which helped to rejuvenate the Carnival tradition of women dressing up with colorful bonnets and bloomers on Mardi Gras Day, would come out of the club on the holiday.

As a Baby Doll, Tee Eva gained another generation of followers that went beyond fans of her pies and pralines. She became an icon of New Orleans by carrying on its traditions with care and appreciation.

This article originally published in the June 11, 2018 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.