Vivian L. Eveloff, a trailblazer who advocated for women’s causes and political change, passed away peacefully on December 5 in St. Louis, Mo. She was 83. The cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease.

She is survived by her sister, Sandra Eveloff, her children Daniel Goldman (Bettina Slusar) and Sibyl Goldman, and her three grandchildren Elijah, Sylvie and Zelda.

She was born in St. Joseph, Mo., in 1941 to Nathan and Sylvia Eveloff and raised in Kansas City. She graduated from Boston University then moved to St. Louis, where she taught high school English, was an executive at Monsanto and ran for MO State Senate in 1994.

Ms. Eveloff fought for civil rights, the ERA, freedom of choice and was affiliated with countless causes and organizations.

She founded the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, was a co-founder of the St. Louis Women’s Political Caucus, and was the first female non-lawyer member of the Missouri Commission on Retirement, Removal, and Discipline of Judges. She mentored women of all walks of life towards ground-breaking roles in business, politics and change-making.

Donations can be made to celebrate her legacy at the NWPC-STL Training Institute.

Memorial Service will be held on January 3 at 1 pm at Central Reform Congregation.