Evelyn Martha Nevala

Evelyn Martha (Majava) Nevala, 97, of Sebeka, MN, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Evelyn was born on October 16, 1927, on the family farm in Trap Rock Valley near Calumet, MI, to Gust and Liisa (Pelli) Majava.

Evelyn attended country school through the 8th grade. She briefly moved to Detroit, MI and spent time in Florida with her brothers before moving to Fort Bragg, CA. She met her future husband, Peter, during her time in California. They married in July of 1950, and moved back to Minneapolis, MN, where they settled down to raise their family. In 1959, they moved to the Nevala family farm in the Sebeka area.

Evelyn enjoyed raising her four children, along with several foster children. She was an avid gardener and loved seeing the shelves brimming with home-canned goods and the freezer stocked with frozen vegetables and berries. She also began oil painting, and many friends and family members still treasure the art she created. In 1971, Evelyn and Peter and their family moved to Stocking Lake. Their home was always open to family and friends from far and wide. After Peter’s death in 1997, Evelyn moved to Menahga where she spent many years pursuing her quilting hobby and living a quieter life with simple pleasures. After her health declined, she moved to Sebeka where she spent the last five years of her life. Evelyn received loving care at Providence Villa until the time of her passing.

Evelyn was blessed with a kind and gentle nature and was much loved by those who knew her. She was an active member of her local Laestadian Lutheran congregation for many years and often reminded her family and friends about the most important matter in life. To the end, her most fervent wish was to remain a child of God and make it home to heaven.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years, Peter; parents Gust and Liisa; 14 brothers and sisters and their spouses; daughter-in-law Annikki Nevala. Evelyn is survived by her children: Michael Nevala of Bothell, WA; Karen Johnson of Menahga, MN; Mary Ann (Greg) Haapala of Dunblane, SK; and Lori (Trent) Simonson of Saskatoon, SK; 37 grandchildren; 70 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Thelma Lehto of Clatskanie, Oregon; Miriam Nevala of Sebeka, MN; and Edna Skoog of Prescott Valley, AZ. Also surviving are a host of other relatives and friends in faith.

Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, July 18, 2025, at Laestadian Lutheran Church of Menahga, MN and continue one hour prior to the funeral service at the church. A Prayer Service will be held at 7 p.m.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at Laestadian Lutheran Church of Menahga, MN. Interment will follow at Menahga City Cemetery.

Arrangements are entrusted to Wevley Funeral Home of Sebeka.