Eva D. Klaassen
Married Name:
Eva D. Brandt
Born: December 8, 1903
Place: Hillsboro, Kansas
Died: June 20, 1998
Place: Wichita, Kansas
MOTHER:
Aganetha Duerksen
FATHER:
Dietrich A. Klaassen
SIBLINGS:
Aganetha D. Klaassen
Helena D. Klaassen
Isaac D. Klaassen
Anna D. Klaassen
Maria D. Klaassen
Louisa D. Klaassen
Tina D. Klaassen
Benjamin D. Klaassen
Susanna D. Klaassen
Sara D. Klaassen
David D. Klaassen
Herman D. Klaassen
Dietrich D. Klaassen
Arnold D. Klaassen
SPOUSE:
Herman Paul Brandt (9/7/1895 - 9/11/1967)
Married: January 2, 1927
Place: Newton Court House, Newton, Kansas
CHILDREN:
Hazel Jean Brandt (born: 12/25/1927)
Persy K. Brandt (7/11/1930 - 10/18/1992)
James K. Brandt (born: 1/25/1934)
Widowed: September 11, 1967
BIOGRAPHY
Eva Dena Klaassen was born December 8, 1903 on a farm near Hillsboro, Kansas to Dietrich and Aganetha Duerksen Klaassen. She was the 9th of 15 children.
As a child she was raised in the Mennonite religion. She was baptized on her confession of faith at the age of 12. Professor P.C. Hiebert baptized her in a creek south of Hillsboro. After her marriage she became an active and contributing member of the Methodist Church.
She attended Hope Valley Elementary school after which she went to high school in Hillsboro. On June 14, 1968 she earned a certificate from the University of Oklahoma for satisfactory completing requirements for housemothers and residence directors.
On January 2, 1927 she was married to Herman Paul Brandt at the Newton Court House. She was employed as a telephone operator at McPherson, Kansas and he worked as a mechanic in Hillsboro. Eva and Herman were married 4 months before anyone knew about it. After having eloped at the Court House, Eva was worried her father would be upset with her. During those four months, Eva lived at the Klaassen homestead. By the time she announced their marriage, she was already expecting their first child. Eva's parents were so supportive, they butchered a calf and threw a party for Eva and Herman. The couple then lived in Hillsboro for a time.
Their first child, Hazel Jean was born December 25, 1927. A son Percy K. was born on July 11, 1930 in Salem Hospital. Eva wanted to have the experince of a hospital stay so insisted on going to Salem for his birth. Their 3rd child, James K. was born January 25, 1934 at home on the Hillsboro Farm.
L to R: Eva, Hazel, James, Percy, and Herman Brandt
Herman and Eva moved with their young family to a farm east of Florence about 1934-1935. There they farmed for many years and the children grew up and attended school in Cedar Point and Florence. Living on the Cottonwood River, she edured the many floods that swept through their farm, destroying home contents livestock and crops. The family then faced the enormous clean up that follows such a disaster. Eva was always a very hard worker and life events such as this took faith and strength, which she always possessed.
Eva enjoyed her life in the community and was very active in the Cedar Point Methodist Church. On one occasion when the traveling minister could not be there she gave the sermon, as she was the Sunday School Superintendent. She was president of the Women's Society of Christian Service for several years and also president of Delta Study Club. After many enjoyable years at Cedar Point she became active in the Florence Methodist Church where her children were attending school. In Florence she made many friends and was very active in church and community groups.
On September 11, 1967, her husband of 40 years succumbed to a fatal heart attack at their home. She then left the farm and moved into town. She wanted to keep busy so she decided to go to school to become a housemother for a fraternity. She served in that capacity at Kansas University for 5 years. After that she served as a housemother at Fort Hayes State College. Her summers were spent in Wichita, Missouri and Florida with her children until her retirement.
Eva later established her residence in Wichita with frequent trips to Florida. She was always busy and a great help to her family and friends.
She enjoyed animals and nature as well as all the seasons and holidays and decorated her home accordingly. She told her family that when one is feeling blue or sad, "You can pray anywhere and God will hear you," which was her practice.
Eva received a 50 year certificate of membership from the Florence United Methodist Church in 1985.
Her good health began to fade in 1988 when she broke her hip. Her last years were spent at Sandpiper Bay Health Care Center in Wichita. Eva passed away on June 20, 1998 at the age of 94. She was the last surviving child of Dietrich and Aganetha Klaassen.
Preceding her in death besides her husband - her son Percy on October 18, 1992 as well as all her 6 brothers and 8 sisters.
Survivors include daughter Hazel Haynes and her husband Bill and two daughters Paula Hastings and her husband Gary; Michele Anderson and her son Brian all of Wichita; son, Dr. James K. Brandt and his wife Shirley and their children: Kepp, Kenneth, Kimberly Hodges, husband Sam and their 2 children Cortney and Clint; Krislin Siebert and her husband Will and their 2 sons Matthew and Mason, Mount Dora, Florida. Grandson Tracy Brandt of Cocolalla, Idaho, Son of the late Percy Brandt.
