Evelyn Sue Brown

INWOOD, IOWA ~ Evelyn Sue Brown, 79, of Inwood, passed away on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

   Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, February 23, 2024, at Porter Funeral Home in Inwood with Rev. Rob Horstman officiating. Burial will follow at Richland Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Friday prior to the funeral.

   Evelyn Sue Brown was born October 6, 1944, in Canton, South Dakota to Floyd and Emma (Redmayne) Brown. Evelyn attended and graduated from Inwood High School in 1962. She lived on the family farm and worked in Inwood at the High School as a secretary to the principal. In1971, Evelyn took a fall on wet steps and fractured her neck and back. She was in Rochester and later home recovering for many years. While recuperating, she was going to the LPN School and graduated in 1973. She went to work for Dr. Goodman as his office manager in Canton, South Dakota. She continued to live on the family farm where she enjoyed sewing, knitting, needlepoint (cross stitch), puzzles, her cats, and she was an avid reader. She would often have her nieces over and taught them how to sew. She also taught her sister Carol to knit.

   Evelyn lived on the family farm until 1999, when she made plans to have a house built in the town of Inwood and moved there. Evelyn was a joy to her family, always at all family gatherings and hosting Thanksgiving and/or Christmas for many years. She had a very big soft spot for her farm cats, bringing 4 of them to town when she moved!

   She did beautiful hand work with her needle point and afghans. Several family members were given these as gifts and baby quilts were often knitted. When she moved to town, she thoroughly enjoyed her flower gardening and worked tirelessly keeping them landscaped. She was a lifelong member of the Inwood Methodist Church until its closing, and later in years chose the Doon Church and became active there. She met many people through her church and made more lifelong friends. Evelyn volunteered her time at the Inwood Library. She would often have puzzle get togethers on Wednesday and after church Sunday. One of her treasured yearly visits was when her sister Betty and husband Jay would come from Custer for a 2-week visit.

   In 2017, Evelyn had a fall at her home that sent her to the Fellowship Village in Inwood for rehab. She so enjoyed the home life and friends she made that she decided to stay. She flourished there surrounded by her new family and the activities they provided.

   On February 15, 2024, Evelyn had a life altering fall and passed away at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls on February 18, 2024. May she rest in peace. God bless a beautiful soul.

   Those that survive are her sister, Carol (Bill) Van Gammeren of Inwood; nephews and nieces, Jeff (Carol) McCarty of Sioux Falls, Sheila (Rich) Fueston of Inwood, Linda McCarty of Sioux Falls, Darin (Katie) Van Gammeren of Hamburg, New York and Jared (Regan) Van Gammeren of Inwood; great nephews and great nieces, Lucas Risseeuw, Anna (Colton Arends) McCarty, Cheyenne and Dex Claus, and Veda and Aria Van Gammeren; and great great nephew and niece, Lauryn Risseeuw and Knox Arends.

   Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, Floyd and Emma Brown; sister, Betty Anderson; brother-in-law, Jay Anderson; niece, Lisa Anderson; and nephew, Mick Anderson.