Alice Evenson

Alice Evenson passed away peacefully with all five of her children at her side on March 10, 2012, at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center in Bismarck, ND. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 AM at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck with Rev. John Guthrie officiating. Burial will be held at a later date. Visitation will be Monday from 4:00 - 8:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service where a rosary/vigil service will be held at 7:00 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. A wee, tiny Irish lass, Alice Veronica Cruden, was born on April 8, 1919, to John and Jane Cruden in Hatton, ND. There were four other siblings, and within a year, another sister was born. By the time Alice was three, her father had died and her mother was going blind so couldn't care for all the kids. The five older children were sent to various relatives to be cared for while the baby sister stayed with her mother. Alice, at age five, was taken in by a cousin in Dickinson, Nellie and Jay Reed, who had two grown children when Alice came to live with them. Alice called Nellie "Auntie" all her life and they were as close as mother and daughter. Alice grew up and attended St. Patrick's School in Dickinson and Dickinson State Teacher's College. One of Alice's most cherished friends, Modesta Olson, attended St. Patrick's with Alice and they have remained close and true friends for nearly 85 years writing letters and cards to keep in touch. On March 10, the same day Alice passed, Modesta mailed a card to her that said, "St. Patrick's Day coming up. No school for us that day!" Alice would have laughed and enjoyed that so much. Before she graduated from college, she met and fell in love with Lyle Evenson who was about to graduate with a teaching degree and they married on May 22, 1942. After a quick honeymoon, Lyle was shipped out with the U.S. Army and did not to return for 3 1/2 years. Alice stayed in Dickinson with Auntie and taught school in Center during the week, riding home on the train or bus on the weekends. After the war, when Lyle returned, they moved to Halliday where he was a teacher and Alice cared for the first child, Konda, carrying water up to a second floor apartment from a pump outside the house. From there they moved to Underwood and a second child, Tom, was born before they finally moved to Lidgerwood and stayed 13 years. During that time, three more children were born—Jerry, Mary and Robert. Growing up an only child as she did, Alice was now in her element with so many children in her life. The six Cruden children, although separated at childhood, now kept in contact with each other through trips and visits and all the cousins became close while growing up. For Alice, her kids' childhood was everything her own had missed. The family moved to Ellendale in 1961 and lived there until 1967 when they moved to Bismarck. Bismarck became home and Alice found many wonderful friends and spent time playing bridge, caring for grandkids, playing bridge, and going to church at her neighborhood Cathedral. She discovered she loved to walk and for many years she walked at least four miles a day. Alice became a member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood in 1942 and has remained an active member all these years. Alice made many trips to California, Texas and Arizona to spend time with kids and grandkids and loved the anticipation of flying out for each visit. She cared for grandkids in Bismarck when she was home and created wonderful memories for all her grandchildren. Alice spent 10 years at Missouri Slope and she was cared for and loved by wonderful caregivers for so long that they became part of her family too. For all of us, kids, grandkids and friends, the Irish twinkle her eyes has always been the most striking thing about Alice. That and her quick Irish humor with the easy laughter that went with it will remain among our most cherished memories. One of Alice's grandkids once asked: "Gram can you give me a piece of advice?" This was her answer: "Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on those things." Philippians 4:18. These words are the essence of the life well lived by Alice Veronica Cruden Evenson, the wee, Irish lass born in Hatton, ND, nearly 93 years ago. The words are also manifested in her unique relationships with her all of her grandchildren. She somehow always managed to convince each one of them that they were her "favorite." She left them with the happy feeling that they had all tied for first place in that huge Irish heart. Alice is survived by her five children: Konda Dixon Klipfel-Wightman, Mandan; Tom Merry Evenson, Denton, TX; Jerry Barb Evenson, Bismarck; Mary Ed Tostenson-Salamone, Fresno, CA; and Robert Denise Evenson, Chickasaw, AL. She is survived also by grandchildren: Kimberley Klipfel Melillo Mark, North Brunswick, NJ; Colin Klipfel Michelle, children Mara and Paityn, Shakopee, MN; Amy Evenson Adsero Jason, children Brynn and Ryan; Susan Wightman Eichhorn Darby, children Alex and Ellie, Fargo, ND; Mary Wightman Bradley children Macie and Burke, Hilliard, OH; Chris Tostenson Cassie, children Caden and Campbell, Northfield, MN; Tobias Klipfel daughter Saige Bismarck, ND; Heather Tostenson Brown Kelly, children Bella and Sienna Fresno, CA; Zach Evenson, NY, NY; Nellie Evenson, Dallas, TX; Tom Evenson, Bismarck, ND; Trish Evenson, US Merchant Marine Academy, King's Point, NY; Nathaniel Evenson, Taft, CA. She is survived by many cherished nieces, nephews and dear friends. It should go without saying that she will be greatly missed by all of them. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lyle; her parents, Jane and John; her adopted parents, Nellie and Jay; her brothers and sisters, Eugene, Monica, Joe, Bernie, and Barbara; and her nephew Mike. Memorials for Alice can be sent to Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Charities or to the Bismarck Public Library Children's Wing.

Alice Evenson

April 8, 1919 - March 10, 2012