Evelyn Larson

Evelyn Larson, 92, of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away November 22, 2019, after a short illness. She was born January 1, 1927, in a small town in Minnesota called Waconia. She was the first child of Walter and Bertha Schultz. The rest of her family was comprised of her brother, Marvin, and her sister, Mardonna.

Her parents owned the town bakery. Her mother was one of the first liberated women who chose to work outside the home, so Evie was taken care of by a variety of people. From the very beginning, everyone in town knew her and who her parents were. When she was old enough, she worked in the Bakery. She was the only member of her family to attend college.

After her sophomore year, she came home for the summer. She remembers coming into the bakery and seeing a handsome fly boy in his leather flight jacket. His name was Ken Larson. He had already caused quite a stir with the young girls in town in his Model A Ford. He asked her out and, by the fall, he was taking her home to the farm in Pleasant Valley, Wisconsin to meet his parents, Florence, and Alfred Larson.

Evie graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1948 with a degree in Home Economics. She and Ken married June 25, 1948. They were married for 71 years.

Evie taught school at Delano High School and Waconia High School. But in-between those postings she stayed home to raise her children, Scott and Suzanne.

Evie was active in her community. In Waconia, she was a founding member of the Waconia Woman’s Golf League. She was active with the League of Women’s Voters, the Waconia Hospital Auxiliary, and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

With her family, she was active in the Moravian Church participating in the choir, church groups and Sunday School. She was a member of Questors (an Antique group) and P.E.O, a woman’s Philanthropic group that support woman’s education. With PEO she held leadership roles at the state and local level (Vice-President, Treasurer, Chaplain and Historian). Her commitment in PEO continued until her death.

She supported her husband’s career moving to Kansas City, Iowa and eventually back to Minnesota. After his retirement, they moved to Naples, Florida and enjoyed many happy years of retirements. She enjoyed shelling, bird watching, the beach and her friends.

In 2010, Ken and Evie relocated to Nashville, Tennessee where they resided until Evie’s death.

Evie is survived by her husband, Kenneth A. Larson, her son Scott Larson, her daughter Suzanne Larson-Tamburo, her son-in-law Andy Tamburo and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents Walter and Bertha Schultz, her in-laws Florence and Alfred Larson, her sister Mardona Topfer, her brother Marvin Schultz, her sister-in-law Jeanne Schultz, her daughter-in-law Linda McGrath, and her nephew Robert Schultz.

Graveside services to be held at a later date in September.

Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home and Cremation is assisting the family with arrangements.

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