Evelyn Irene Brenton Garner was born August 29, 1922 in Beaumont in Butler County, Kansas to Harry and Julia (Greenwell) Brenton. Four years later a little brother, Ivan Eugene joined the family.
Evelyn entered the first grade at Keighly, Kansas and was advanced to the second grade before Christmas. In February 1929 the family moved to a farm in Prairie Queen northwest of Eads. Evelyn was an outdoor girl, riding horses, milking cows, feeding the hogs, driving tractors, and grain trucks. She helped her dad shingle the barn. She played ball with the neighborhood boys.