Eva M. Palmer, 91, of Emporia, Kansas, died on July 15, 2012 at Newman Regional Health, Emporia.

Eva was born on September 13, 1920 in Hollenburg, Kansas, the daughter of Herman and Dorothea Damman Grefe. She married Elmer L. Palmer on May 7, 1944 in Iola, Kansas. He died on July 30, 1966 in Emporia.

Survivors include: sons, William and wife Mary Palmer of Topeka, Kansas, Jerry and wife Marie Palmer of Santa Rosa, California, and Alvin and wife Kathy Palmer of Kansas City, Missouri; daughters, Shirley and Husband John DePew of Emporia, Betty and Husband Ed Rhoads of Neosho Rapids, Kansas, and an adopted daughter Terry and husband Mike Neuring, of Kansas City, Missouri; brother, Alwin F. and wife Rosie Grefe of Plymouth, Nebraska; nineteen grandchildren; forty six great-grandchildren; twenty one great-great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her father; mother, Dorothea Damman Grefe Thiele; sons, Robert L. Duensing, and John E. Palmer; and sisters, Vera Duensing, and Dorothea Grefe.

Eva moved to Emporia during the 1951 flood. She worked for a couple of nursing homes in Emporia as a med aide, as well as taking in ironings in Emporia. She was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and the St. Mark’s Quilting Club.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Friday, July 20, 2012 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Emporia, with Pastor John Davis of the church conducting the service. The visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Thursday evening, July 19, 2012, at Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home, Emporia. Burial will take place at Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Emporia.

Memorial contributions to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church may be sent in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett Funeral Home.