Evelyn Ann Larsen, 85, of Grinnell, died peacefully in her sleep on July 20, 2021, at St. Francis Manor in Grinnell. A celebration of life service has been scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 25th, at the Grinnell First Friends Church. Evelyn was born in Wayland, Iowa, November 7, 1935, the only child of Warren Hutton Bergh and Ethel Alice Quaife Bergh. She graduated from Wayland High in 1954 and from the University of Northern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in 1958. Evelyn married Delmar Larsen of Grinnell, Iowa, on December 30, 1958 at the Methodist Church in Wayland. She taught second grade, kindergarten, and nursery school for many years in Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Evelyn and Delmar have three children: Kenneth, Kevin, and Kimberly, who were raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where Delmar was a Professor of Industrial Technology Education at Eastern Michigan University. Evelyn worked in Social Work for the Salvation Army before they moved to Delmar's century farm, southeast of Grinnell in 1984. Here, Evelyn did social work for Friendship Manor and was Assistant Minister at First Friends Church for 13 years. During that time, she and her dog, Dusty, made monthly visits to the delight of residents in five care centers in Grinnell and Newton. Evelyn was a Hospice volunteer for 17 years and worked as a domestic violence advocate. She also worked for 35 years with her husband in the antique furniture restoration business. Evelyn and Delmar enjoyed traveling to the Holy Land, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines and Europe. They cruised through the Panama Canal and down the Mississippi. The couple traveled to many areas of the United States where Delmar played his tuba in more than 40 band camps. Evelyn and her daughter Kim, enjoyed each other's company as they took six, month-long trips riding the rails and covering many miles on foot as they were sightseeing in Europe. The First Friends Live Nativity is a more than 30-year tradition and Evelyn organized and chaired the presentation for more than 20 years. She was also an avid collector of over 200 nativities from many countries and enjoyed sharing them. Opportunities to share often came during the more than 30 years she made sure the First Friends display case was filled with beautiful and meaningful displays. Memorizing the Book of Ruth enabled Evelyn to present about 50 Scripture Memory Programs throughout Iowa, Australia, the Holy Land, and the Philippines. The hobby of scrapbooking resulted in 40-year memory books for each of her children. Delmar and Evelyn's 50th Wedding Anniversary was immortalized in a book on their coffee table. Evelyn is survived by her three children; Kenneth (Silvia) Larsen, Edcouch, TX, Kevin (Diane) Larsen, Northville, MI, and Kimberly (Tom Hill) Larsen, Vista, CA. She was preceded in death by her husband Delmar and her parents. Memorial contributions may be designated to the Grinnell First Friends Church or Poweshiek Animal League Shelter (PALS).