Elinor Louise (nordeen Utech

14 hours ago(0) SignaturesMISSOULA – Elinor Louise (Nordeen) Utech, 92, of Missoula, passed away Thursday, June 27, 2013, at Riverside Health Care Center.

She was born Nov. 21, 1920, in Hines, Minn., to Carl G. and Marguerite E. (Johnston) Nordeen. As a young girl, she grew up on the family farm in Hines. She often spoke of her wonderful memories with friends and her five younger siblings. She later attended Michigan State College and completed her education degree at Bemidji State College. She taught grades 1-8 in a one-room school house for several years and later taught kindergarten at Central School in Bemidji, Minn.

On June, 4, 1947, she married Jesse Brue Utech in DeKalb, Ill. They lived in Bemidji until moving to Missoula in 1965. After moving to Missoula, she taught kindergarten at a private school. Later, she taught first grade at Cold Springs Elementary School. She retired from Missoula School District 1 in 1983. Her teaching career spanned 37 years.

She and Jesse were members of Atonement Lutheran Church since 1990. They previously attended Immanuel Lutheran and Our Savior Lutheran, Bonner. She belonged to VASA Lodge and enjoyed her dear Swedish family and friends. She was recognized for 40 years as a VASA member at their annual summer social in June 2012. She and Jesse also were members of the Missoula Iris Society. She actively participated in the annual iris shows and completed training to be a show judge.

Elinor was an accomplished pianist and organist. She played for many church services, weddings and funerals at Bethel Lutheran Church in Bemidji. She continued to serve in musical ministries at Immanuel Lutheran and Our Savior Lutheran, Bonner. She sang in choirs and especially enjoyed singing at family gatherings with her brothers, sisters and uncles. She enjoyed beautiful vocal harmonies. She lived a life of volunteerism, including teaching Sunday school, leading 4-H groups and teaching the members to sew. She continued sharing her sewing talents as a quilter at Atonement Lutheran Church. She was a volunteer grandparent in the library at Emma Dickinson. She knit hundreds of caps for Martha's ministries to send our military members. She served on the Missoula Federal Credit Union loan committee and later volunteered for clerical needs at MFCU. In later years, she volunteered at Community Medical Center.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse B. Utech; her parents, Carl G. and Marguerite E. (Johnston) Nordeen; brothers, Carl Daniel and Robert Conrad Nordeen; sister, Marian E. Larson; and nephew, James Grover.

She is survived by her children, Barbara (Ray) Powell and Jean (Jeff) Jenkins; granddaughters, Sherry (Bob) White, Tammy Powell, Erin (Brodie) Ellis and Jessica (Aaron) Flint; seven great-grandchildren, Konnor and Taryn White, Hayden and Natalie Ellis, Matthew Sargent, and Jaxson and Brooklyn Flint; sister, Ruth Grover of Creston, Ill.; brother, Kermit (JoAnn) Nordeen of DeKalb, Ill.; sisters-in-law, Evelyn Nordeen of Edmonds, Wash., and Joanne Nordeen of Fort Atkinson, Wis.; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 6, at Atonement Lutheran Church with Pastor Daniel Disch officiating. A reception will follow services.

Memorials may be made to Atonement Lutheran Church, the Poverello Center, or the Iris Gardens at Fort Missoula.

Read Elinor Utech's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.