Evelyn Primus, 99, of Sumner, passed away on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, at the Hillcrest Home in Sumner. She was born in the rural Sumner area on July 8, 1911, to Robert and Josephine Grunig Hoth. She attended country schools and graduated from Sumner High School in 1928. After taking normal training in high school, she taught rural schools in Dayton and Sumner Townships and Klinger for seven years.
On September 19, 1936, she was married to Floyd Primus, who preceded her in death in March of 1999. Floyd was a buttermaker and the couple lived at Center Valley, east of Sumner, Greene, Iowa, Dunkerton, Iowa, and at Potter Siding, west of Tripoli, Iowa. After Floyd retired from the creamery business in 1975, they moved back to Sumner. Together, Evelyn and Floyd worked as custodians for the First National Bank in Sumner for nine years.
While living in Dunkerton, Evelyn and Floyd became parents of a daughter, Barbara. Evelyn and Floyd always did things together, from working in the creamery to working at the bank. They enjoyed fishing and camping. They were longtime members of the Polka Club of Iowa and traveled to many dances. Evelyn always had flowers and vegetables growing in her yard right up to the age of 95, when her health forced her move to the Hillcrest Home. She thoroughly enjoyed her grandchildren as they were growing up.
Evelyn is survived by her daughter, Barbara (Jerry) Shaw of Rapid City, South Dakota, her granddaughter, Julie Shaw (Mark Miller) of Bellingham, Washington; her grandson, Thomas Shaw (Denis Stearns) of Seattle, Washington; and numerous cherished nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Helen; and her brothers, Floyd and Harold.
Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 5, 2011, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Sumner, Iowa with Rev. Jim Brokman officiating. Interment will be at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Sumner. Friends may call from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 4, 2011, at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner where there will be a Scripture Service held at 6:45 p.m. on Friday. Friends may also call for one hour preceding Mass at the church on Saturday. The family suggests that memorials may be made in Evelyn’s name to the Sumner Public Library.
