Eva Peek Grainger was born in Freeborn on Nov. 15, 1909. She died peacefully at home Jan. 14, 2013, at the age of 103 in Bothell, Wash.

A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Freeborn Congregational United Church of Christ Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Eva received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin in 1931. She taught at Freeborn High School from 1932 to 1936 and was principal 1951 to 1952. She moved from Minnesota to Jaffna, Sri Lanka, then Ceylon where she taught at The Uduvil Girls School from 1936 to 1942. She returned to the United States and received her master’s degree from Columbia in 1941.

Her return to Jaffna placed her on board a Dutch ship entering Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, from which she witnessed the attack on the United States naval fleet. She married Edwin John Grainger, in Bombay, India, in 1942 and resided later in Shanghai, China. In 1949 with her infant daughter in her arms she was evacuated by the United States Navy five days before Shanghai fell to the invading People’s Liberation Army.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Edwin John Grainger; brothers, Charles and Ernest Peek; and sister, Stella Colberg.

She is survived by her daughter, Stephanie Kampas; son-in-law, Robert; grandsons, Brien and Christopher; and sisters, Helen Safford of Arizona and Edith Nelson of Minnesota.

Memorials may be made in her name to The Freeborn Congregational UCC Church or the Freeborn County Historical Museum in lieu of flowers.