Evelyn I Jordal

Evelyn Ilene Jordal (Eve), 72, of Missoula, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her loving daughters on January 7, 2017 after a long battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
She was born September 5, 1944 in Missoula, at the old St. Patrick Hospital, to James Michael and Fay Ilene Negra. Growing up, Eve was a tomboy. She spent summers camping with her family, enjoyed learning to cook spaghetti with her Italian grandfather, shared a bedroom with her two sisters and loved her favorite cat, “Fritz”. She graduated from Hellgate High School and at age 17, married Dewey Floyd Baker. They lived in Missoula, Florence and Stevensville, MT, and were married for seventeen years. They had six children together. Five daughters and one son. Her children were her ultimate joy and everything she lived for.
In July of 1985, after a five-year courtship, she married her second husband, Larry Dean Jordal, joyfully gaining another son, two daughters, and a wonderful extended family. They moved to Golden, Colorado where they resided for 25 years until they returned to Missoula in 2011. They were in love and married for 36 years.
During her lifetime, she had a few career changes. She began working at the age of 15 at the Western Montana Clinic. At the age of 18, she was employed by a furniture store in Missoula. She was their administrative assistant as well as did modelling in newspaper ads for them. She worked as a medical office assistant, ran a daycare out of her home, worked as a dispatcher for a couple of local trucking companies and finally took the job of her dreams at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, working as the executive assistant to the Dean of Students. She loved helping the college students and after 24 years of service, she retired from there in 2011.
Eve had many talents. She was a seamstress and when her children were young, she handmade many of their outfits. She was an amazing cook. Spaghetti was favored by all who knew her and was the center of many happy family get togethers. She had a green thumb and raised many vegetables in her garden and loved growing flowers and house plants.
Eve was an excellent vocalist. As a soloist, she sang soprano, but she could harmonize to anything. Her and her husband, Larry enjoyed blue grass and had their own band attending and performing at blue grass festivals over the years. There was always music filling her home. It was her happiness.
She loved being with her family, marathon shopping, house boat adventures on Lake Powell, “glamping” in the mountains and at lakes, bird watching, flowers, palm trees, sunshine and Hawaii.
Survivors include her five daughters, Camille Baker, Stevensville; Jessica (Carl) Smith, Missoula; Amanda (Joel) Norgaard, Missoula; Megen Tripp, Missoula; Jerusha Baker, Stevensville; three step children, Lori (Chris) Nepute, Denver, CO; Stephen (Lori) Jordal, Castle Rock, CO; Kristin (Jack) Vandiver, Denver, CO; two sisters, Marion (Lars) Baker, Riverton, WY; Marcia (Robert) Perry, Pagosa Springs, CO; along with twenty grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by; her son, Tobias Leo Baker; her husband, Larry Dean Jordal; and her mother and father.
A small graveside service was held at Sunset Memorial on January 13, 2017. A celebration of her life will be held in the spring.
Eve was a loving, strong, thoughtful, funny and generous mother, wife, sister and grandmother, she will be deeply missed. Condolences may be left at www.sunsetfuneralhomecemetery.com