Eva M Harmon

Eva M. Harmon (nee Brettl), age 71, of Overland Park, Kansas, died on July 28, 2026, in Merriam, Kansas.

Born on September 13, 1954, Eva was the second child of Rosalia and Jakob Brettl. She was born in Aurora, Illinois, but moved at a young age to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she grew up at St. Joseph Catholic Orphanage. After graduating from high school, she lived with her mother, Rosalia.

Eva married Robert Gailliez in 1974, and their daughter, Michelle Marie Gailliez, was born in 1982. The family moved to Monroe, Michigan, where Eva became the number-one carpool mom, a Girl Scout helper, a car wash lover, and a master of spaghetti with meat sauce.

She worked as a switchboard operator at Mercy Memorial Hospital, now ProMedica, in Monroe for 20 years. To everyone who called, she was a kind and helpful voice on the phone. She retired in 2020 and promptly moved to Kansas to be closer to her daughter and grandchildren.

Eva spent her six years of retirement doting on her grandchildren and offering her daughter unwavering encouragement and support. She often said that being a grandma (or Yaya) was one of the greatest joys of her life, and she truly loved being surrounded by the chaos of three little boys.

Anyone who met Eva immediately felt comfortable talking with her. She had an easygoing personality that made people feel as though they were speaking with an old friend. She was nurturing to everyone around her, and her kindness showed through in every situation. She loved her family and friends fiercely and always wanted the best for them. Eva remained optimistic even while undergoing chemotherapy during the final months of her life, showing nothing but kindness and love to those around her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert A. Harmon, and her parents, Rosalia and Jakob Brettl. She is survived by her daughter, Michelle Gailliez (Andrew Frye) of Lenexa, Kansas; her three grandsons, Abel, Henry, and Isaac; and her brother, Herbert Brettl (Diana) of Independence, Kentucky.

Whenever you see a field of daisies or a ladybug, let it be a reminder of Eva and a life well lived.

A celebration of Eva’s life will be held in Cincinnati, Ohio, on September 13, 2026. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.