Evelyn Grams

Evelyn A. Grams, age 95 of Janesville, died on Saturday, July 9, 2011 at the Janesville Nursing Home. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 15th at 9:30 a.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church in Janesville, with Fr. Peter Klein Celebrant. Interment will be in the St Ann Cemetery, Janesville. Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 14th from 4 to 8 p.m. at Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory in Janesville, and will continue on Friday morning for one hour prior to services at church. There will be a 7:30 p.m. Catholic Daughter Rosary Thursday evening, at the funeral home. Evelyn Augusta was born on March 2, 1916 in the Township of Beauford, Blue Earth County, Minnesota to Leo and Clara (Materne) Leifermann, the oldest of 10 children. She attended rural Blue Earth and Waseca County schools. Evelyn worked for several families and for the telephone office in St. Clair before marrying William L. Grams on February 23, 1938 at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Mankato, Minnesota. William and Evelyn farmed in Alton Township, Waseca County, while raising their four children. She was active in community affairs, serving as a 4-H leader, President of the St. Ann CCW, member of the Home Extension Club, St. Ann church choir and the Catholic Daughters of America, Waseca Court #1424. Evelyn was also awarded the Bishop's Medal in music ministry. She also raised ducks and geese, had large vegetable and flower gardens, made prize winning quilts, had a wedding cake business, participated in bowling leagues and was an artist in charcoal and ink drawing and painting wildlife ceramics. Evelyn did sewing for mission projects and served on her church's funeral committee and was a longtime member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Janesville. She also worked at Swifts in Waseca, and was the first cook at the Janesville Nursing Home when it opened, and after her retirement volunteered her time at the nursing home assisting the residents. Evelyn was noted for her cooking and baking. She also was the family genealogist and had compiled books on the Leifermann family. She is survived by her children, Gerald (Celia) Grams of Snellville, GA., David (Mary) Grams of North Mankato, Dianne (Richard) McDonnell of San Jose, CA. and Glenn (Rosalie) Grams of Janesville; by her siblings, Cletus (JoAnn) Leiferman and Rhoda Schull all of North Mankato; by her brothers and sisters-in-law, Carl (Marie) Grams of New Ulm, Robert (Helen) Grams of Hampton, Margaret Grams of St. Clair, Alice Hodapp of Waseca, Janice Leiferman of Waconia, Alyce Leiferman of Menasha, WI., and Marion Hinton of Jackson; by her grandchildren, Theresa Grams, Rebecca (Dean) Williams, William Mondy Jr., Paulette (Steve) Schoeb, Mike Grams, David McDonnell, Dr. Maureen McDonnell, Mary Lynn Grams and John (Sara) Grams; by 5 great grandchildren; Evelyn took great delight in her grandchildren. She leaves behind many nieces and nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents; by her husband William in 2002; by her grandson, Mark McDonnell in 2010; by her brothers, Gregory, Sylvester, Joseph and Baylon; by her sisters, Lorraine Zimmerman, Delores Fitzpatrick, Madelyn Veroeven and Mary LaVonne Schroeder. The family would like to express their appreciation to the Janesville Nursing Home for their care of Evelyn.