Eva's Story

The foundation of Eva’s story is her diaries. She kept diaries for most of the years from 1964 until 1986. Her story before and after the diaries and gaps in the diaries were filled in with research and interviews. The setting for Eva’s story was grounded in historical events, Minnesota culture, and her faith. Several challenges faced Eva Larsen Sanford Schimming including ill health as a child, The Great Depression, a flood, multiple miscarriages and the loss of a full-term infant, an unwanted relocation, serving as a caregiver for many, widowhood, and suffering a stroke. The great news is how she navigated these obstacles with grace. Her dedication to her family, friends, and faith gave her the strength to carry on no matter what came her way. She left a grand legacy, not in material wealth, but in the people she invested in through her well-lived life.