Evelyn Susanna Fehr Swift, 91
Evelyn Susanna Fehr Swift age 91, passed away on Feb. 18, 2019, at Hidden Meadow Memory Care in Columbia Falls.
Evelyn was born in Bloomer, Wisconsin, on June 27, 1927, to William and Louise Fehr. She was raised on the family dairy farm, an environment that helped foster a lifelong love of kittens and cats. Evelyn had two older brothers, Adalbert Fehr and Arnold Bauer.
Evelyn graduated from Chetek High School in 1945 and then attended nursing school at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, and was very proud to graduate as a Registered Nurse in September 1948. She saved the family from many doctor appointments with her medical knowledge, supplemented with home remedies from the farm.
Evelyn was set up on a date with Dennis Swift by friends, and it was love from the beginning. They were married on Oct. 14, 1956, in Bloomer, Wisconsin. Dad was a lover of dogs, which Mom would reluctantly feed and pet.
Evelyn went from a small-town farm girl to a student nurse who loved her time in the Big City of Chicago, but gave up her career to follow the love of her life out West. She initially lived on the Inchelium Indian reservation as Denny built his career in forestry. They adopted three children and Evelyn became a devoted homemaker and a wonderful mother. She took the best of everything from her greatest generation and post depression upbringing. She was an excellent cook, exquisite seamstress, prolific gardener, and dedicated church woman.
Denny went to our Heavenly Father on April 14, 2003, and Evelyn missed him greatly until joining him and her beloved Jesus on Feb. 18, 2019, at the age of 91.
Evelyn is survived by the children she and Denny adopted, David (Peggy), Sarah Lefebvre (Sean Martines), and Cameron (Kim), and grandchildren Brandon Lefebvre, Jenifer (Shawn) Earl, Niko Swift, Shanelle (Scott) Palmer, Alexa Shortell, Riley Swift, Ryan Murphy, Kailey Carlton, Jarrett (Tiasha) and Cody Tucker, Lindsay, Marti and Joaquin Martines, and seven great-grandchildren.
The family would like to say a special thank you to those who helped Mom in the last few years as she suffered from dementia — Hidden Meadows Memory Care facility and staff, Judy Windauer, Marcela DeMeritt, Pam Burns, and Keyvin and Rosanna Fagerland.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork. A reception and burial will follow.
Memorial donations can be made to Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork, MT, the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, or the Alzheimer’s Association. Friends are encouraged to visit our website at www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolences for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory caring for the family.