Evelyn J. Seegmiller

Evelyn J. Seegmiller, age 84 of Decorah, Iowa, died Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center Hospice Care in LaCrosse, Wisconsin following a massive stroke on Monday, March 31, 2008. Evelyn Josephine (Thornton) Seegmiller was born January 9, 1924 in Decorah, Iowa, the daughter of Roy and Josephine (Pederson) Thornton. She graduated from Decorah High School with the class of 1943. Evelyn lived her whole life in Winneshiek County. She was united in marriage to Telford P. Seegmiller on February 14, 1945 in Des Moines, Iowa. This union was blessed with a daughter, Mary. Evelyn worked at Deco Products in Decorah for twenty years and drove truck with her husband for about 20 years. Telford died in 1990 and Evelyn moved to Decorah in 1992 where she helped as a volunteer at the Decorah Genealogical Association, which she enjoyed very much. Evelyn also enjoyed making quilts, reading and listening to country music. She was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church at Locust for many years, then Decorah Lutheran Church. At St, John’s, she was a Sunday School teacher for many years and served as President of the Ladies’ Aid. Evelyn was a resident of Harmony HealthCare in Harmony, Minnesota for the last five years. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Telford on March 23, 1990; and two sisters, Lucille Eilers and Lillian Yates. She is survived by her daughter, Mary (Mervin) Sears of Harmony, Minnesota; two grandsons: Todd Sears and Terry (Juanita) Sears of Rochester, Minnesota; a great-granddaughter Adrianna and a step great-grandson Derrek; a brother-in-law, Berwyn Yates of Shelbyville, Illinois; and several nephews, nieces and cousins.