April 26, 1947 ~ June 21, 2018
Evelyn M. Larsen, passed away peacefully at the age of 71, surrounded by family at her home in Minden, Nevada, on Thursday, June 21st at 11:11 pm on the evening of the summer solstice.
Evelyn was born in St Louis, Missouri on April 26, 1947 to Marjorie (nee Whalen) and Willard Neininger.
Throughout her life she was a devoted caretaker of children, from her own younger siblings to the family of 4 children she saved from a housefire while babysitting on New Year’s Eve when she was only 17 years old. For this heroic deed, she received the Carnegie Medal for Heroism in 1964.
She attended the University of Missouri, where she met her husband Jim on a blind date. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 1969 with a degree in teaching. Although she only spent a few years teaching in the classroom, most people would identify her as a teacher soon after making her acquaintance.
She had reverence and interest in all nature. Evelyn's home was filled with orphaned and stray animals, and she was always teaching little ones how to be gentle and kind - leading by example. Her own children were shocked to find out that other families did not make bullfrog habitats in their guest bathrooms or raise litters of orphaned bunnies or squirrels on a regular basis.
After becoming a grandmother in 2005, Evelyn and Jim moved to Minden, Nevada. Here she became a fixture at her grandchildren’s school, always being greeted with hugs and choruses of “Moo Moo!” She was generous with her time and talents and nurtured all around her like a bowl of her famous "Chicken MooMoo Soup".
Evelyn is survived by her devoted husband of 49 ½ years, Jim Larsen of Minden; her children, Betsy (Greg) Phillips of Minden, and Blake (Aimee Had) of Truckee, CA; and the most adored grandchildren on the planet, Emily and Jack. She will also be missed by her younger sisters, Mary Beth (Steve) Siebert of Lee’s Summit, MO, and Carol (Dale) Hassler of Kirkwood, MO; and her older brother, John (Kimberly) Neininger of Parker, CO; as well as her niece Joy (Jeremy) Markuson of Bangor, ME; her nephew Mike Hassler of Kirkwood, MO; and her grand-niece Emma Joy.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Willard (“Bud”) and Marjorie (nee Whalen) Neininger of Kirkwood, MO.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Community, 3000 N. Lompa Lane in Carson City, NV on Thursday, June 28th at 3 pm with a reception in Chartz Hall immediately following.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation in Memory of Evelyn Larsen to St. Teresa School, 567 S. Richmond Ave, Carson City, Nevada 89703.
