Eva Schanz

Eva Schanz passed away on Wednesday August 30, 2017 at St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings, Montana after a short illness. Eva was born in Forsyth, Montana on April 11, 1929 to Cecilius and Elizabeth Mathern. She was the youngest of 10 children. Eva married Mike Schanz in 1956. They farmed on a ranch south of Ryegate, Montana in the Big Coulee. Together they raised 2 children, Dean and Sheila. Eva helped with the farming and was Mike's “helping hand”. She canned vegetables, meats, fruits, and usually made about 200 quarts of dill pickles every year. By the next year, they were all gone and ready for a new batch. Eva was a fabulous cook and made good old German dishes. She was also a great baker. When she made cinnamon rolls for a bake sale, they never made it to the sale because they were sold before the sale ever started. Eva never owned an automatic washer, so the washing was done in a wringer washer with two rinse tubs. The water was hauled by 5 gallon buckets from a rain cistern across the yard and then heated up in a coal and wood burning stove, and the clothes were hung outside on the clothesline. She enjoyed cooking for everybody that stopped by and there was always enough food to feed an army. When the meal was over, card games, especially pinochle took over and lasted until the wee hours of the morning. She also enjoyed embroidery and made beautiful dresser scarves and pillow cases. Mike passed away September 19, 1974 and Eva continued to farm with Dean until 1979 when she moved to Billings. The first thing in the house in Billings was an automatic washer and dryer. She still enjoyed cooking, reading cookbooks to find new and delicious recipes, and working cross word puzzles. Family and friends enjoyed coming to Eva's house for visits, reminiscing, and having fun times. Eva was preceded in death by her husband Mike, son Ronald, father Cecilius, mother Elizabeth, sisters Anna, Rose, Emma and Mary, brothers John, Joe, Frank and Dan. She is survived by daughter Sheila of Billings, son Dean, wife Colleen and granddaughter Caitlin from Randolph, Minnesota, and brother Pius of Riverton, Wyoming. She is also survived by step daughters Nina Denzin of Helena, Montana, Alice Burton of Spokane, Washington, 8 grandchildren, 12 great- grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.