Eva Margaret Reavis 1885-1957

REAVIS, PARKER, FRY, BELLMORE, ANDERSON, MATHENY, CARTER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 8/27/2008 at 07:20:26

Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Feb. 11, 1957

EVA MARGARET REAVIS

Eva Margaret Reavis, daughter of Isaac and Martha Parker Fry, was born Jan. 25, 1885, in Ayr, Neb. She was the daughter of pioneer parents, her father being active in the Union Army and with Sherman's famous march.

After attending the public schools, she attended the business college at Hastings, Neb.

About 1905 she came to Des Moines, Iowa, and briefly worked for the Jewitt Lumber company before coming to Grinnell about 1907. She worked for the Spaulding company for some time.

She was united in marriage to Elijah Grant Reavis of Grinnell on April 14, 1909. They are the parents of 10 children, all of whom survive. Mr. Reavis passed away in 1932. The family home has always been in the Grinnell vicinity.

When a young woman, Mrs. Reavis professed Christ as her Lord, and in May 1928 she united with First Baptist church, Grinnell. She was a charter member of the VFW Auxiliary. Her interest was her home and family.

Mrs. Reavis is survived by three daughters: Mrs. Allen (Gertrude) Bellmore, at Silverton, Idaho; Mrs. J.L. (Lela) Anderson, North Highlands, Calif.; Mrs. N.L. (Wilma) Matheny, Ft. Worth, Texas; and seven sons: Ted, Morris, Clarence, Glenn, Russell and Wilbur, all of Grinnell, and George who is now in Japan with the U.S. Air Force. (He recently visited his mother here.) There is one sister, Mrs. Julia Carter, Fort Wayne, Ind., and one brother, Dan Fry, Casper, Wyoming; 13 grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, and friends.

She had been in failing health since 1951, and suffered a broken hip in 1954. She passed away quietly at her home in Grinnell on Feb. 4, 1957, just past 72 years of age.