Evelyn Pearl King, 98, of Raymondville, Missouri, peacefully went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, August 5th, 2025.
Born on August 12th, 1926, in Sumner, Iowa, Evelyn was the fourth of six children born to Louis and Bessie Grace (Ford) Strosahl. She attended Fayette High School where she met Earl Russell King, the love of her life. Evelyn and Earl were united in marriage on June 3rd, 1944, at the United Methodist Church in Fayette, Iowa, one month after she graduated.
While Earl served in the Army during World War II, Evelyn worked at JCPenney in Oelwein, took Red Cross nursing classes, and worked at the hospital in West Union, Iowa. After Earl was discharged, they lived in a couple different locations, then came back to the Fayette area and bought a farm between Fayette and West Union and lived there for 42 years.
Evelyn worked various jobs throughout the years, including Brown’s Clothing and Shoes, the Upper Iowa Snack Bar, Step’s Melon Stand, Fayette Elementary School as a teacher’s aide, and Bostrom’s Bakery. The roles she cherished most were those of a farmer’s wife and a loving mother. In 1995, Evelyn and Earl retired to Fredericksburg, Iowa, to be closer to their children and grandchildren.
Evelyn’s life was filled with her deep faith in Jesus and unwavering love for her family. She loved being outside and walked nearly every day. She enjoyed playing cards, sewing, reading, riding horses and especially dancing and flying with Earl in their airplane. She was known for her great sense of humor and her warm and caring heart and will be deeply missed.
Even though Evelyn was preceded in death by her beloved husband in 2009, their love story spanned more than 80 years. She was also preceded in death by two son-in-laws, Alan Franzen and Steve Staker; her parents; siblings: Beulah, Harold, Emma, and Wes and her great-grandson Robert Earl Nass and great-granddaughter Angel Rose Klink.
She is survived by her five children: Linda Staker, Judy & Curt Dumermuth, Roy King, Pamela & Stan Shrock, and Kim Franzen & Dwight Vandersee; her sister, Beverly Carius; and 17 grandchildren and spouses: Denny & Teresa King, Cody & Evelyn Staker, Lance & Julie Staker, Jacy (Dumermuth) & Brian Gross, Shane and Kelly Staker, Amy (King) & Seth Chambers, Brent & Mindy Dumermuth, Toni Franzen, Kelly (Shrock) & Jimmy Langley, Kristi Franzen & Trevor Deutsch, Shannon (Staker) & Steve Cook, Daniel & Annie Shrock, Matthew Franzen, Tyler & Kristy Staker, Noel (Franzen) & Steven Maier, Jesse & Erin Shrock, and Merri (Franzen) & Chris Klink. Evelyn is also survived by 47 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren (with another one on the way), all of whom brought her so much joy.
Since moving to Missouri in November 2024 to live with Pam and Stan, Evelyn attended the Raymondville Community Church with her son, Roy, under the loving guidance of Pastor Greg Berglund.
If you spent more than 10 minutes (and maybe less) with her, you know, she never met a stranger… everyone became a friend. Evelyn’s legacy of love, kindness, sense of humor, faith and her “world’s best” apple pie will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.
A Celebration of Life for Evelyn will be at 11:30 am with a visitation from 10:00 am to 11:30 am on Friday, August 15, 2025 at the United Methodist Church in Fayette, Iowa.
Lunch will be served after the service, and burial will take place at Lima Cemetery.
Donations received will be given to the Lima Cemetery Fund in Evelyn’s name.
Burnham-Wood-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service of West Union, Iowa are assisting the family with service.