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ElVeda Justine Bliss

ElVeda Justine Bliss

PARK RAPIDS — ElVeda Justine Bliss, 87, passed away peacefully Saturday, March 9, 2019, at Heritage Living Center in Park Rapids. Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, March 16, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Nevis, Minn.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, March 15, at Cease Funeral Home in Nevis, and one hour prior to services Saturday at the church. Interment will be in the Hubbard Cemetery.

Cease Family Funeral Home of Nevis is assisting the family. www.ceasefuneralhome.com

ElVeda was born on Leap Day Feb. 29, 1932, in Bismarck, N.D., to John Enock Carlson and Mattie Marie (Rosenbeck) Carlson. Her family resided on a farm west of Baldwin until they moved to Nevis in August of 1936. Her father passed away when she was 8 years old. She graduated from Nevis in 1950 where she played basketball, and was proud to be a “Nevis Tiger Muskie.” She always appreciated the friendship of classmate Marlis Husby, who took part in introducing ElVeda to her husband, Fred. They enjoyed dances and going for sleigh rides.

On April 12, 1952, she and Fred William Bliss were married at her parents’ home in Nevis, with her brother Harvey and sister-in-law Ruth as attendants. They moved to their home on the Hubbard Prairie in 1953 where they raised six children and farmed, raising crops and Hereford beef. ElVeda sewed at Munsingwear for three years and Ringer from 1966 to 1970. She always claimed her career was “chasing kids, cows and machinery parts.” They retired from farming in the early ’90s.

ElVeda was always active in the community.

She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Nevis. Her mother had been instrumental in starting the congregation. ElVeda taught Sunday School, belonged to the Martha Circle, and enjoyed sewing quilts there on Thursday mornings.

She belonged to the Up North Knitters group and Ladies of the Lakes Homemakers Club. She served as president of the Dorset School PTA and was a member of both the Park Rapids and Nevis Senior Citizens. She also served on the Senior Council on Aging, receiving the Apple Pie Award for being an active volunteer. She was part of the Menahga VFW and Park Rapids American Legion Auxiliary and a member of the Stony Lake Farmers Club, Mid Central Beef Growers Association, and the Farmers Union. ElVeda was a Stony Lake Beavers 4-H Club leader for 33 years.

Along with Fred, they were part of the founding members of the Hubbard Prairie Rough Riders Snowmobile Club. Recently, she was a member of the Timberland Dirt Devils ATV Club as well. One of ElVeda’s favorite activities was playing cards, especially Whist. She also enjoyed sewing, knitting, fishing, snowmobiling, going for rides in her Ranger, and visiting with friends and family. She and Fred enjoyed going for rides and she was always up for an adventure.

ElVeda will be forever missed by her six children, Larry (Barb) of Huachuca City, Ariz.; Kathy (John) Thompson of Park Rapids, Linda Meschke of Fairmont, Terry (Sharon) of Park Rapids, Kevin (Jennifer) of Nevis, Karen Pagnac (Dan) of Brainerd; nine grandchildren, Randy and Debbie Thompson, Jonathan and Michael Meschke, Zachary, Hannah and Emma Bliss, Keane and Kolin Danks; three great-grandchildren, Waylon, Wren and Winston Thompson; sisters-in-law, Marilyn Carlson, Barb Landicho, Dena DeVore, Madeline Graunke, Myrtelene Jehoich, Dorothy Pohl; brother-in-law, Loren Burdhorf; many nieces, nephews, godchildren, and friends, who were all special to her.

She was preceded in death by her husband Fred, who passed away 10 years ago; her parents, John and Mattie; stepfather, Harry Dillon; brothers, George, Harvey, Gerald; and several sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law.

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