Obituary of Eva Mae Makela

Eva Mae Makela, 73, died peacefully on Sunday May 4, 2025 at home. Eva was born on May 12, 1951 in Nickerson to Rudolph and Anna Bloom. She grew up in Nickerson and graduated from Askov High School in 1969. Eva attended college in Hibbing where she met her former husband Bruce and they married on December 18, 1971. Eva and Bruce built their home in Meadowlands in1974. Eva later resided in Duluth for several years before moving to Brainerd to live with her daughter and son-in-law.

Eva worked as a “lunch lady” at the school in Meadowlands until it closed in 2002 and then at UMD in food services until she retired. She was also a volunteer EMT on the Meadowlands Ambulance for 13 years.

Eva loved gardening, rock picking, garage sales, and sewing. Later in life she enjoyed traveling and going to concerts. She was an avid reader her whole life. Eva will be remembered for being a strong and determined woman who deeply loved her friends and family.

She is preceded in death by her parents: Rudolph and Anna Bloom; brothers: Ray, Ralph, Marvin, Walter, and Harry; Sister: Randy VanGuilder and former husband: Bruce Makela.

Eva is lovingly remembered by her children: Chris (Amy) Makela and Jennifer (Rick) Hambrick; grandchildren: Erik, Niklas and Annika Makela; brothers: Richard Bloom, Loren Bloom, and Lyle (Diane) Bloom; sisters: Ann Johnson, Linda (Rick) Hovila, and Karen (Jeff) Degerstrom; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; and her beloved “fur grandchildren “.

A celebration of Eva’s life will be held at the Meadowlands Community Center on Sunday, May 18, 2025 from 11 to 4. Burial will be at a later date at the Oak Lake Cemetery in Kerrick, MN.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.