COLUMBUS
Eva Lorene Brand, 87, of Columbus, passed away peacefully at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, after a three-year battle with cancer.
She was the daughter of Farley Thompson and Iva Mobley Thompson, both of whom preceded her in death. On Feb. 28, 1948, in Bartholomew County, Eva married Bernard F. Brand, and they had three children together.
During the 1950s, Eva was actively involved in the home building business in Columbus. After she and Bernard began raising a family, they purchased a grain and livestock farm near Story in 1960. They moved to the farm and Eva’s interests shifted to raising her children, managing their cattle herd and shopping for repair parts and supplies to enable the planting and harvesting equipment to keep working in the fields. She was a versatile woman.
Eva liked to cook and bake. She liked gardening, canning and freezing the vegetables she grew and the fruits she would gather from the wild. You would see her and the children, each with a bucket, head out to gather nuts, berries, persimmons, mushrooms and whatever might be in season. They would do a little fishing in the nearby pond and creek and would usually have good luck.
As the children grew older, their activities changed but Eva always had time to take, observe and encourage and see them safely back home. When the children had their own transportation and could drive themselves to practice sessions and games, Eva was there to observe and encourage. Up to the day that she passed away, she was an inspiration to her entire family and will remain so until they are joined in Heaven.
Eva enjoyed interacting with other people and everyone she met came to like and admire her very much. She was an amazing woman.
Other survivors besides her husband of 69 years include children, Michael (Claudia) Brand of Laurel, Maryland, and Susan J. Brand of Columbus; a granddaughter, Cassie (Mike) Pratt of Crothersville; four great-grandchildren, Steven Pratt, Dakota Pratt, Simon Pratt and Eva Pratt, all of Crothersville; two brothers, Vernal H. Pruitt of Freetown and Robert Thompson of Charlotte, Michigan; and two sisters, Esther Hodge of Seymour and Vonda J. Stanton of Charlotte, Michigan.
Besides her parents, she was also preceded in death by her son, Stephen R. Brand, and her sister, Betty Pruitt.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home on Jonathan Moore Pike in Columbus. A graveside service will be at Garland Brook Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Friends may sign the guestbook or share memories at barkesweaverglick.com.