Evelyn Jane (Russell) Odell

Evelyn Jane Odell (nee Russell),

April 4,1940 - February 11,2023 (82 years old.)

It is with deep sadness, the family of Evelyn Odell, announce her passing on Saturday February 11, 2023.

Evelyn, daughter of Viva (Gardiner) and William Russell was born April 4,1940 in Clearwater, MB. and raised on a farm south of Clearwater along with her brother Edwin Russell.

She entered the world during a severe spring snowstorm, at a farmyard one mile from their home as they were not able to make it to the hospital. Oddly enough there was a short snow squall that passed through the day of her funeral, and she left the world the same way she entered it.

Evelyn attended Clearwater School, was a member of the Clearwater 4-H Club and the United Church Choir. She enjoyed playing baseball and loved to curl attending and winning many bonspiels over the years where she and her husband Ken made many lifelong friends. Sports and their love for music, especially country and western, was what introduced Evelyn and Ken. They were married April 19, 1958, settled in Glenora where they began their life together raising four children, Donna, Patricia, Bill and Brenda.

Together they owned and operated gravel trucks and a mixed farm. Evelyn worked hard on the family farm, raised chickens, was very active helping with the cattle, especially enjoyed calving season and was able to operate all the farm equipment, but her love for flowers and gardening was what she enjoyed the most. She spent countless hours in her garden where passers by always honked and waved at her and would later then comment on what a beautiful garden she kept. Many people benefitted from her not one but TWO green thumbs, as she was always able to grow a very bountiful vegetable crop each year. She spent many hours harvesting and canning her vegetable crop with her apple juice, spaghetti sauce, strawberry jam and dill pickles being the most favourites. Her goal each year was to have her garden free of weeds so she could attend the July 1st celebration in Clearwater, only missing the event a couple of times in all her years.

In the winter months she enjoyed sewing, crocheting, and making blankets which she gave away to all her family and friends. She loved to watch curling on TV and also attended many live Brier and Scotties Events.

As well as working on the farm, Evelyn worked as a Caregiver for 20 years and a Waitress at the Pilot Mound Drive in where she lovingly gained the nickname ‘Grandma Pickle’. She was also known as GG by many, Gorgeous Grandma or Grumpy Grandma, depending on the day.

Evelyn was a very active member of her community.  She was a 4-H leader for a number of years where she was able to share her many talents and sewing skills with her children and their friends. She was a School Board Trustee for 14 years, Sec-Treasurer of the Glenora Curling Clubs, Glenora Boosters and the ACW for 57 years. She was a Red Hat member and enjoyed attending the outings with that group. She also cooked numerous pieces of fried chicken over the years, which was enjoyed by many at the Glenora Friday dinners, always available to donate food, work at or help out any way she could at any function in the community.

Family was extremely important to Evelyn, and she was ever so proud of each and every one of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. When through transporting her children to their events, she then began attending and supported each of her grandchildren’s events whenever she could, always managing to find someone she knew in attendance to visit with.

 She will be fondly missed by ALL those who knew her.

Evelyn was predeceased by her husband Ken (2004), daughter Donna (2015), infant twins Diane and Michael (1973) and her parents Viva and William Russell.

Funeral service was held on Saturday February 18, 2023 at St. George’s Historical Anglican Church in Glenora. Interment followed at the Marringhurst Cemetery. Jamieson’s Funeral Service were in care of funeral arrangements.

If friends so wish, memorial donations may be made to the Glenora Historical Society, Box 84, Glenora, R0K 0Y0, Marringhurst Cemetery Fund, Box 36 Glenora, MB R0K 0Y0 or the Rock Lake Health Centre, Box 400, Crystal City, MB R0K 0N0.

"One precious to our thoughts has gone, A voice we loved is still

A place made vacant in our hearts, That never can be filled."

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