Evangeline Marie Maxine n (Zinn) Vivian
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 8B - November 22, 2012
Evangeline Marie Maxine (Zinn) Vivian
November 28, 2012 – November 18, 2012
Eva was born November 28th, 1912, to Fred and Elizabeth (Krakow)
Zinn (both were from German families) in Rushmore, Minnesota,
population 300. She spent her childhood playing with friends, making
mud pies, going barefoot, swimming, climbing trees, and riding her
peddle car. Her family moved to Laramie, Wyoming in 1920. She
remembers reaching the Lincoln highway, which was graded and
graveled, so her dad got to speed along at 30 miles per hour.
In 1933, she graduated from a University with a degree in hig h
school teaching and then taught in Sunrise and Wheatland, WY.
There she met Burt Vivian, her future husband, when he came to
talk with her roommate. They married in Wakefield, Nebraska in
1938, and then moved to Tionesta, PA.
Burt was with the Bureau of Reclamations so there were many
moves to different dam sites to drill over the next few years. Shasta,
Flaming Gorge, and Rifle gap are a few. In 1940, Burt and his
brother formed Vivian Drilling Company in Kellogg, Idaho, drilling
for sliver, lead, and zinc areas. Eva was the bookkeeper. On Au gust
16, 1945, their daughter, Elizabeth 'Ann' was born. Then follow ing
WWII came the Uranium boom. Burt received a drilling contract i n
Moab, Utah so the family moved.
In April of 1967, Tammie "Vail" became her first and only gra ndchild.
Ann met Bill Shoultz in the early 1970's in Grand Juncti on,
CO. They later married and Bill adopted Vail. During this time Eva's
mother, Elizabeth, moved in and remained with Eva and Burt unti l
she passed away in 1986.
Burt continued to do consulting work into his early 80's, whi ch allowed
Eva and Vail to travel to some of his work sites: Alaska,
Montana, and Mexico. During Eva's spare time she took up cake
decorating and tole' painting along with volunteering for the 4H and
Job's Daughters.
In the late 80's, Eva and Burt bought a house and ended up li ving
across the street from a couple they knew when Burt worked near
Vega Reservoir. In l986, Vail married Mark McCole. Within four
years along came two great-grandsons, Jason Ty and Derek Jacob
(September 1988/ November 1990). As the boys got older their
weekly visits expanded to helping Eva and Burt take care of the ir
yard and house maintenance.
In 1996 Ann passed away. Then in 2001 Burt passed. In 2008, Eva
sold her house to the local college and moved in with Vail and her
family.
In her final years she doted on her cats, enjoyed being a par t of the
ALC quilting group and she would cheer for the Rockies and Bron -
cos. Her loving spirit and quick wit will be deeply missed by t hose
who knew and loved her.
Donations can be made to Hospice & Palliative Care of Western
Colorado or American Lutheran Church Quilter Group.
The family will be having a private memorial service in Wyomi ng
in the Spring.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Callahan-Edf ast
Mortuary.
