Evelyn Mead passed away May 25, 2000 in Tacoma, Washington at the age of 92. She was bor December 18, 1907 in Lac Qui Parle County near Montevideo, Minnesota. She was the youngest of eight children born to John and Ingeborg Lyngen, Norwegian immigrants. She attended Haugen School in Camp Release Township until the spring of 1917 when the family moved to Carlton County near Moose Lake, Minnesota. After completing elementary school at the Eckman School, she attended high school in Moose Lake and graduated in 1925. The family survived the forest fire that swept through that area on October 12, 1918, but lost their home and all of their possessions.

Evelyn received a teaching degree from Duluth State Teachers College in 1930 and taught elementary school in Kettle River and Isle, Minnesota. She married Henry Mead, editor of the Mille Lacs Messenger, Isle, on January 16, 1936. They lived in Isle and Onamia until 1938 when they moved to Aitkin, Minnesota where Henry became editor of the Independent Age. They later become part owners of the newspaper.

During WW II, when Henry was in the Army, Evelyn worked at the newspaper. In November 1949, they sold their interest in the Aitkin paper and moved to Seward, Nebraska where they purchased the Seward County Independent from William H.

Smith. The family owned and operated the Seward paper for 28 years, until 1977. In 1963, the family purchased the Aitkin Independent Age. Evelyn served as corporate officer for both weeklies. In 1996, two years after the death of Henry, the family sold the Aitkin paper to Dick Norlander. The family had operated the Aitkin weekly for 34 years.

Evelyn was a member of the United Methodist Church, the United Methodist Women, Order of the Eastern Star, PEO Sisterhood, Seward Woman's Club and the American Legion Auxiliary. She held offices in each of these organizations. She was a former member and president of the Seward Parent-Teacher Association. In the early 60s, she was "mother" to two foreign exchange students, Ana Plizzo from Argentina and Amalia Portalio from Greece. Evelyn is survived by a daughter, Evonne Agnello, Tacoma, WA; and one grandson, Adam Agnello, Providence, R.l. She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry; her son, Curt; her parents, two sisters and five brothers.