Thief River Falls – Ida Evangeline Nordvall, 101, peacefully crossed over to her heavenly home Sunday, May 15, 2022 at Oakland Park Care Center, Thief River Falls.
Ida was born in Hillsboro, ND on September 22, 1920, the daughter of Rev. Joseph Simon and Nettie (Johnson) Halvorson. Her childhood years were spent in Gary, and later she graduated from Roseau High School. She married Carl Nordvall, December 26, 1938, and the couple resided in Roseau until moving in 1943 to Walhalla, ND. They returned to Roseau in 1952 and later in 1963 made their final home in Thief River Falls.
Ida was a gifted and spirited pianist and church organist, serving churches in Gary, Walhalla, Roseau and finally Thief River Falls where she was head organist first at Trinity and then Zion Lutheran Churches. She had a flawless memory of the poetry of hymns and the words of many songs. Right up to the time of her departure she was still playing the piano, transposing when the key was wrong, and playing “for the old folks” in her beloved care centers of Greenleaf and Oakland Park.
She was loved and appreciated by hundreds of piano students, many couples at their weddings, and through her musical comfort of families in funerals.
Ida was kind, witty and always had the coffee pot on for her many friends stopping by to borrow a cup of sugar! She kept a meticulous yard in summer, and was an exceptional Scandinavian baker at Christmas.
The love was mutual between G’ma and grandkids: Dawn, David, Karl, Siri, Steve, Kim, Erica, Kiran and Nisha. Ida will be greatly missed by so many!
Ida was preceded in death by her husband, Carl; parents, Joseph and Nettie Halvorson; sisters, Esther, Ruth, Nora and Pearl; and brothers, Kenneth, Rueben, Manfred, Milton and Harold; and son, Charles Nordvall.
She is survived by her children, Saundra Martin, Sun City, AZ, Bob (Patti) Nordvall, Bismarck, ND, and Barbara Virk, Davie, FL; grandchildren, Dawn (Bruce) Nelson, David (Linda) Bergland, Steven Nordvall, Kim Nordvall, Siri (Mike) Myhrom, Karl (Tina) Nordvall, Nisha (Hans) Duarte, Erica (Josh) Spencer and Kiran Virk. She was blessed with 14 great-grandchildren.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, with Reverend Mark Helgeland officiating. Burial will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in Thief River Falls.
Visitation will be held on Friday, May 20, 2022 from 5 -7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, also one hour prior to the service on Saturday.
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