Eva Rose Law

Eva Rose Law, age 90, of Mt. Carroll, IL, passed away in her home, with her family by her side, on January 16, 2026. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, January 21, at Lanark First Brethren Church. Visitation will take place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday, January 20, at Law Jones Funeral Home, in Mt. Carroll, as well as one hour prior to Wednesdays service at the church. Burial will be at Lanark Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at the Savanna Moose Lodge.

Eva was born May 28, 1935, in Cherry Grove Township, the daughter of Wayne and Ada (Guenzler) Merboth. She attended Lanark schools, graduating from Lanark High School with the Class of 1953. After graduation, she began her working years at Carroll Service, where she handled clerical duties. On October 14, 1956, she married the love of her life, Donald Law. Together they raised six children and built a home filled with love, and plenty of hard work.

As a homemaker and farm wife, Eva’s days were full! Caring for the children, tending to chores, keeping flower and vegetable garden, and supporting the demanding work of dairy farming was no small task. Though the work was constant, she and Don created a life rich with joy. Vacations were rare, but adventures were not. After Sunday school, they often packed all the kids into the family pickup and set off on day trips to places like Starved Rock State Park and other local parks. Those simple outings became cherished memories for the entire family.

Faith was a steady thread throughout Eva’s life. In her youth, she was a member of the Lanark First Brethren Church. While she and Don were raising their family outside of Mt. Carroll, she was active in the Mt. Carroll Methodist Church. Later in life, as her children grew and began families of their own, she found herself drawn back to her hometown Brethren church.

Eva and Don also enjoyed a lively social life. Nearly every Saturday night, they could be found dancing at various dance halls and supper clubs across Illinois and Wisconsin. Those evenings brought a wide circle of friends who shared in those memorable dancing years.

Once her children were older, Eva returned to the workforce, joining the office of Dr. Roe, an optometrist in Savanna. For nearly two decades, she assisted patients and handled secretarial duties.

As the years passed and her children began families of their own, Eva remained the heart of her home. Sunday dinners at Grandma’s house became a cherished tradition. Her homemade chicken and noodles and her famous sugar and chocolate chip cookies brought generations together around her table, week after week.

Eva will be dearly missed by her six children, Pamela (Steve) Gehrls, of Clive, IA, Darryl Law, of Savanna, Karen (Doug Miller) Rodda, of Mt. Carroll, David (Jeanne) Law, of Mt. Carroll, Alfred (Melissa) Law, of Savanna, and Marsha (Sean) Shilling, of New Lisbon, WI; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-granddaughter; brother, Elmer (Charlotte) Merboth; and a brother-in-law, Vernon Law. She is preceded in death by her husband, Don; parents, Wayne and Ada; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Lloyd and Louise Law; brother, Edward (Betty) Merboth; a great grandson; two brothers-in-law; and three sisters-in-law.