Evelyn’s Obituary Ishpeming – Evelyn Caroline Valota Smith, age 93, passed away on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at the Marquette Co. Medical Care Facility in Ishpeming where she had resided for nearly 6 years. Evelyn was born in Ishpeming, Michigan April 19, 1 25 to Italian immigrants John and Matilda Valota, and was raised by them in North Lake where she shared life with a vibrant Italian community. She attended school through 8th grade and then quit to begin working to assist with the family income, at one point moving to the St. Mary’s Hospital housing in Marquette while working as a housekeeper.
She met the love of her life, James C. Smith at Kelly’s Slide on a dare and two months later they were married on August 5th, 1948 and remained married for 63 years until his death in 2007. Together they build a life of love in a home Jim built himself in the Toumela Platt division, where they raised three children: Larry Smith, Minnesota; Linda Smith Noble, Ishpeming, and Laura Smith of Ishpeming. Evelyn was a proud member of the St. Pius X Catholic Church and active in all manners of service there.
Evelyn worked the majority of her life and her longest and most significant job was working in the meat department at the IGA in the Miracle Center where she was a proud union member. Evelyn was a very social person and active in a number of local events, including the Elk’s Lodge of Ishpeming where Jim rose to the rank of Exalted Ruler. She felt it was her duty and pleasure to support her husband in all he did.
After retirement Evelyn and Jim traveled a great deal, spending winters in Arizona until health and old age prohibited continued this activity. Evelyn was a strong woman and when the time came to move on did so without regrets. She and her husband sold their home when they could no longer perform maintenance duties and they moved into the Ishpeming high rise senior citizen’s apartment complex where they continued their social activities according to what was available.
When Jim required 24-hour care he moved to the D.J. Jacobetti facility and Evelyn remained in the apartment, alone for the first time in her life, until a fall with injuries required that she, too, needed more care and she moved on to the Marquette County Medical Care Facility where she was loved and cared for by Staff and family. True to her character, Evelyn always made the best of everything and she was happy wherever she landed. Dementia robbed her of her memories in her final days, but her underlying personality of sweetness and stubbornness never went away.
Evelyn is survived by her three children; granddaughters Brenda Jordan of Ishpeming; Patty Thormodsguard of Minnesota; Christine Anderson of Ishpeming, and Jessie Goethe of Ishpeming; and grandson Nathan Smith of Ishpeming. 7 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. Evelyn was preceded in death by an infant sister, a sister Blanche Thomas, a brother Angelo Valota, son in law Jack Noble and grandson John Noble.
In spite of their social natures, neither Evelyn nor Jim wanted public funerals so there will be a private family memorial held at Bjork & Zhulkie Funeral Home and interment in the Ishpeming Cemetery. The family of Evelyn wishes to thank all of the staff at MCMCF where she received the most loving and tender care. She thrived with the treatment and attention she was given and spend many years having the best life she could because the staff made it possible.
We are grateful to them. Evelyn’s obituary may also be viewed a bjorkandzhulkie.com where relatives and friends may leave a note of remembrance.
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