Eva Townes

Eva Mae Townes, 92, of Cape Girardeau, passed away Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, at the Lutheran Home in Cape Girardeau.

She was born Dec. 1, 1915, in Hurst, Ill., daughter of James and Genevieve (Spagnoli) Rocassi. She and Waldo "W.B" Miller were married in 1939. He passed away in 1959. She and Lee Townes were married Oct. 1, 1966.

Eva and W.B. owned and operated the former Mrs. Miller's Restaurant on Broadway in Cape Girardeau. In 1962, after selling the restaurant, Eva went to work as an executive secretary for Rust and Martin in Cape Girardeau, retiring in the early 1980s.

She is remembered for her beautiful rose garden and her excellent cooking skills.

Loving survivors include her husband, Lee Townes of Cape Girardeau; a daughter, Deanna (Miller) Kranawetter and husband Ed of Pocahontas; a sister, Louise (the late Sam) Dunlap of DuQuoin, Ill.; six grandsons, Matt (Liberty) Murray and sons Elliott and Morgan of Colorado Springs, Colo., Nathan Malahy of Cape Girardeau, Luke (Erica) Malahy and her daughter Shelby of Marble Hill, Mo., Russell (Christy) Malahy of Hankamer, Texas, Kent and Kurt Kranawetter of Pocahontas.

Also surviving are four nieces, Jan (Dick) Crawford of Denver, Donna (Leroy) Newton of Carterville, Ill., Mae (Norman) Hanna of Hurst, Paula Dunlap of DuQuoin; two great-nephews, Marc (Janice) Crawford and children McKenna and Mason of Cary, N.C., Sonny (Glenda) Eason and children Jessica and Justin of Cape Girardeau.

She was preceded in death by a daughter, Marsha (Miller) Murray of Springfield, Ill.; and two sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary (Paul) Fegley of Greeley, Colo., and Marguerite (Bill) Maxton of Hurst.

A graveside service will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Memorial Park Cemetery in Cape Girardeau.

The Rev. Robert Mann will officiate. McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson in charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Alzheimer's Association or the Lutheran Home.

Sympathy messages may be sent to the family online at www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.