Edward Matthew Nevala of Belt passed away on Friday, September 30, 2022, in Great Falls at the age of 85. He was born to Matthew and Annie (Gliko) Nevala on June 1, 1937. Ed attended Burlingame School and graduated from Belt Valley High School in 1955. Following graduation, he enlisted in the US Army and then worked for the Montana Department of Fish and Game for 37 years. On April 28, 1962, Ed married Barbara McNorton at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Belt, and they have resided in Belt for the past 60 years.
In addition to his full-time job, Ed always had a side-hustle, including selling snowmobiles, processing and selling beaver and coyote furs, and combining for Bowman Ranch. Following “retirement,” not yet ready to rest and relax, he began a new career at Golden Valley Homes in Belt as Site Manager. He not only meticulously maintained the property but cared for the residents as well.
Ed was your typical Montana outdoorsman. Fishing, hunting, and trapping were always on his agenda. His greatest passion, however, was gardening. Stacks of seed catalogs could always be found in the living room as well as remedies to kill potato bugs on the garage shelf.
Ed is survived by his wife, Barbara; daughter, Cynthia (Thomas) Leary of Peoria, AZ; son, Glen (Tammy) Nevala of Kasson, MN; brother, Kenneth Nevala of Great Falls; grandchildren, Shawn (Sianna) Nevala of Las Vegas, Andrew (Kaetlen) Nevala of Havre, Kaitlin Leary-Ziemer (Matthew) of San Francisco, and Sean Leary of Champions Gate, FL.; and great-grandson, Lukas Nevala. To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
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