Maher, Evelyn A.

Evelyn A. Maher, 80, died peacefully Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2012, at Crestview Care Center in West Branch. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 31, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, with the Very Rev. Rudolph Juarez officiating. Burial will be at St. Joseph's Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, Iowa City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice.

Evelyn was born Oct. 30, 1932, in Iowa City, Iowa, the daughter of Oscar and Anna Cilek Petersen. She was a graduate of West Branch High School. On July 10, 1952, Evelyn married Kenneth Maher at St. Joseph's Church in West Liberty.

Over the years she had been employed as a secretary in the Department of Pediatrics at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, University Architects office and the Cytogenetic Lab.

Evelyn was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Ladies of the Moose and the Johnson County Farm Bureau. She loved to read, travel, work crossword puzzles, play cards, dance and spend time with her family.

Evelyn is survived by her three children, Larry (Sandy) Maher of West Branch, Dennis (Denise Griffith) Maher of Farmington, Minn., and Linda (John “Mike”) Donohoe of Virginia Beach, Va.; seven grandchildren, Corey Donohoe, Renee (Eric) Meyer, Samantha (Jason) Davis, Michael (Jessica) Maher, Michelle (Jacob) Reichert, Nicholas (Joanna) Griffith and Noah Griffith; and four great-grandchildren, Addison, Alana, Alison and Ashley.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and one son, Charles.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at

Published Dec. 29, 2012 in The Gazette