Naida Nevdahl March 11, 1923 May 12, 2017 age 94

Naida was born in her grandfather's home in Spokane, WA. She was born to Mildred Reys. Together they lived in various places and Mildred worked as a cook on ranches and in a laundry among other jobs. Mildred married Herb Lambert and they lived in Tum Tum where Naida attended a one room school. Her teacher boarded with them. Many relatives showed up during the depression and lived with them. Mom was an only child but had many cousins with whom she played and loved them as siblings. She went to North Central HS where she boarded with a woman, living too far away to live at home. She met Ted Nevdahl and they married shortly before the war. Ted went off to war and she gave birth to their first child, Merrilie, while he was away for 3 years. When he returned they added to their family. Annette, Dan and Marty were born in Spokane. She was active in her church, Our Saviors Lutheran. She loved to sew and cook and bake the most wonderful cookies and candy. At Christmas time she made over 47 kinds of cookies and candy. Her granddaughters memories centered around food. When asked to share they thought of all the things she made. Debbie and Danette and DeeDee and Jennifer were her precious granddaughters.

From Jennifer: I remember her making me lemon lush for my birthday and making me my own special bowl of potato or macaroni salad without eggs. Coffee cans filled with divinity and special k treats. Her hollering at us to make sure we washed our hands when we were in the bathroom and the smell of dial soap. Sitting next to her at church and her giving us mints after communion. Holiday cards covered in stickers because I complained that she put more on Leslie's cards. Always worried that I wouldn't get married, but I think she was secretly impressed that I made it through college and grad school.

From DeeDee: Grapefruit soda in liter bottles, cheese and saltines served on State trays and clam dip at Christmas. The one that makes me laugh though is when Jen and I would get the giggles at church; usually over someone singing loudly and poorly behind us. She would always offer us mints first and then go to a sideways glance that clearly said that is enough. We would usually giggle harder. Whoever was closer would get a smack on the leg. It never hurt, but always made the other one laugh harder.

From Deb: Fruit Roll ups. I remember pitting cherries with a bobbie pin. It was hard work but worth it. She always had a green pitcher of iced tea in the fridge, her caramels were grand as was her potluck spaghetti. She shared her secret for making brown gravy, Kitchen Bouquet.

Danette: My most vivid memory is when she took care of me when I had my tonsils out. She made sure I had everything I needed and waited on me hand and foot. Somehow she always knew when to ask the most embarrassing questions when the house was full of people.
She was very particular about her looks. She always wanted to be sure to look "together". Her clothes were nice, her hair curled and make up on (or at least lipstick. This continued while living at Bishop Place where she had her hair and nails done weekly. I remember when I was dating Greg and she asked me if I was worried about my mother trying to "steal" him from me because he was so much older than me.
You never knew what color the couch was because she always had it covered with blankets to "protect" it. She taught me how to darn socks and we would sit and do them together.
She always had her clip board with the day's newspaper crossword puzzles clipped on. I filled in some of the answers once in the Sunday crossword and boy did I get in trouble because I got one wrong. I remember when she told me that she switched to using her middle name because she did not like the way her first name sounded. Irma. But every time she would say it she would pronounce it eeeeeeerrrrma. and then say ugh I can't stand it eeeeerrrrrma.

Her grandsons Shane and Casey didn't get to spend as much time with her. When we brought Shane home at age 2 she made him pancakes. He couldn't get enough. He loved her lefse, Shane states he thought she was beautiful and loved eating with her.

Her husband came from a large Norwegian family and she learned to make lefse. She was the champion maker and took over for her Mother-in-law. This was a family tradition for years with aunts, uncles and cousins.

Naida was preceded in death by her grandson, beloved Ian Williams and her husband, Ted Nevdahl. She leaves behind her four children, Merrilie Davidson, Annette Williams, Dan Nevdahl,and Marty Nevdahl as well as 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind her beloved caregiver, Sergo Dembe.

We wish to thank the staff at Bishop Place for her care, Pullman Regional Hospital, whose care for all of us was beyond anything we've seen, every doctor, nurse, social worker, food server, and room cleaner went out of their way to be kind and helpful.

No service will be held at her request, Kimball Funeral Home is in charge her cremation. On-line condolences for the family may be left at www.kimballfh.com