Evelyn Marie Pauline Lenz Brown Obituary (1919 - 2015)

Evelyn Lenz Brown, 95, of Venice, Florida and formerly of Arlington, Iowa died Saturday, August 29, 2015 at Venice, Florida. Memorial Service: 2:00 P.M. Saturday, October 10, 2015 at St. John Lutheran Church in Arlington with Pastor Margaret Yackel-Juleen officiating. Visitation: 1:00 P.M. to service time on Saturday at the church. Inurnment: Taylorsville Cemetery, Arlington, Iowa. The Jamison-Schmitz Funeral Home in Arlington is assisting the family. Online obituary at www.jamisonschmitzfuneralhome.com Evelyn Marie Pauline Gamm was born October 12, 1919 in Arlington, Iowa the daughter of John Lenard and Anna Catherine (Burrack) Gamm. She was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Arlington. On March 2, 1941 she was united in marriage to Marcene Paul Laverne Lenz at St. John Lutheran Church, Arlington. Evelyn loved beautiful things. She sewed clothes for herself and her daughters. She made money for the family by making clothes for others. Fabric left from fancy dresses was made into doll clothes that were also sold. Evelyn and Marcene lived in Green Bay, Wisconsin; Marquette, Michigan; Danville, Illinois; and Urbana, Illinois. Marcene died on March 5, 1965. On May 27, 1967, Evelyn was united in marriage to Donald E. Brown. They lived in Champaign, Illinois, spending vacations visiting family and finding a place to retire - Nokomis, Florida. In 1978 they retired to Spanish Lakes in Nokomis. Christmas was her favorite season of the year-decorations, the music and the food. Every year she made ornament for the Christmas tree plus ones that were gifted to her granddaughters and great grandchildren. She crocheted afghans for each of her daughters and granddaughters. Birth gifts to new born children were often afghans. Christmas gifts to nieces and nephews were knitted slippers and the piano was lined with pairs. She also loved to dance. Evelyn is survived by her 2 daughters: Barbara (Tony) Szelpal of Nokomis, Florida and Charlotte Forste (Neal Goman) of Minneapolis, Minnesota; 3 granddaughters: Stephanie Szelpal of St. Louis, Missouri, Carol (Tom) Ainsworth of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and Sherry (Steve) Grupp of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; 5 great grandchildren: Tyler Vance, Brandon Vance, Christopher Grupp, Tristan Grupp and Evelyn Grupp; 1 brother: Ted (Jan) Gamm of Wabasha, Minnesota; and 1 sister-in-law: Charlotte Lenz of Joliet, Illinois. Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; 2 husbands; 3 brothers: Leonard Gamm, Donald Gamm and Marsene Gamm; and 3 sisters: Dorothy Nesteby, Katherine Rinkert and Lavon Biedermann.