Born January 10, 1917, on the Rohrer farm 12 miles northwest of Salina, Kansas, Eva was the daughter of Elmer Clay and Lavern Pearson Rohrer. She attended Pleasant Hill and Salina grade schools before graduating from Culver Rural High School in 1934 as the class Salutatorian. On June 6, 1934, she married Francis Lumir Velharticky at the family farm. With this union were born two sons’ Kenneth and Eugene.

Mrs. Velharticky was a teacher’s teacher. She started in one-room rural schools in 1940. During the summer months she attended Kansas Wesleyan to gain her higher education. Her first school, Ebenezer was 1 ½ miles south of the family farm which she walked to and from each day. After teaching in three one-room schools, Ebenezer, Hall, Parsons, she advanced to teaching in the small towns of New Cambria, and Assaria. In 1948 she began teaching 4th grade in Salina at Hawthorn and started studying for her teaching degree from Fort Hays State during the summer months.

She earned her Bachelor Degree in 1952 and her Master’s Degree in 1956, both from Fort Hays State College. She went on to study for a Specialist Degree to become Principal at Camp Phillips Air Force Base-1yr, Parkview-10yrs, Coronado-2yrs, and Hawthorne Elementary School-14yrs. Before retirement in 1982 she went back into the classroom for two years as a teacher to conclude her 42-year career.

Mrs. Velharticky was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma society, Life Member of N.E.A. (National Educational Association), KARSP/Salina Unit’s President in 1983-1984.

Eva’s grandmother, Annie Pearson and mother, Lavern P. Rohrer were Presbyterian and she was a life long member of the Presbyterian Church, either in Culver or Salina, Kansas. She along with Mary Alice Hall, became the first female Ruling Elders of the First Presbyterian Church in Salina. For many years she taught Sunday School to children or adults. She continued to be active upon moving into Presbyterian Manor in 1993 with “Eva Reads” the daily newspaper to sight-impaired residents for many years.

Family survivors include her two sons, Kenneth L. Velharticky from Burlington, Iowa and F. Eugene Velharticky from Topeka, Kansas; five grandchildren Kayla Jean Velharticky, Eileen Larance, Nicholas K. Velharticky, Jena Kay Velharticky, W.W. Chase Velharticky; and four great-grandchildren Crystal Kay Craig, Kendall Craig, Garrett P. Larance, and Wyatt I. Velharticky.

A memorial service will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 27, 2007 at the First Presbyterian Church, Salina. Inurnment will be in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, near Culver.

Memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian Church.