Eva Mae Brtek

Eva Mae Brtek, 95, of Mahnomen, died Monday, September 29, 2014, at the Mahnomen Health Center. Eva Mae, the daughter of Israel “Bud” and Elizabeth (Knickerbocker) Sharbono, was born on September 1, 1919, in Marsh Creek Township. She attended country school through the 8th grade and always LOVED SCHOOL! As a young woman, Eva worked for various area farm families, cooking, doing outside chores, and helping with children. On April 30, 1938, Eva married Emil Brtek in Grand Forks, ND. They lived in various places before purchasing a house in Bejou, MN, in 1943 from Alfred Hallstrom. Eva was a hard working, stay at home mom, whose family grew over the years to a total of 10 children. Eva always kept busy with her family, tending to a large garden and canning its abundant produce. She also worked out of the home occasionally; house cleaning for local people and picking potatoes in the fall during potato harvest to earn money for school clothes for her children. Since running water would not come to the Brtek house for a few years, hauling water from the local pump was a daily chore that was even harder on laundry day. Eva remembers getting her first washing machine in 1946. She was such a great cook (having had so much practice with all those kids) that from 1972 until 1979 Eva and Emil owned and operated the E & E Tavern in Bejou. It was in April of 1988 that they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary and in late August of 1989, Emil passed away. Then in 1994, Eva moved to Valley View Commons in Mahnomen, after living 51 years on the same corner in Bejou. Eva missed her fishing trips after Emil's death, but kept busy sewing quilts, fixing puzzles and cooking her visitor’s favorite foods like home baked breads, kolaches, donuts, pies, potato dumplings and homemade soups. She was a magnificent story-teller, both of family history and thrilling ghost stories. Eva always looked forward to the yearly family reunion and spending time with her children and grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her. She is survived by four sons: Floyd (Sheryl) of Coon Rapids, MN, Les (Joanne) of Stillwater, MN, Jerry (Sharon) of Mounds View, MN, and Gary (Pam) of Ottertail, MN; five daughters: Avis Ystenes of Audubon, MN, Gloria Thompson of Bejou, MN, Lillian (Roger) Lofgren of Lake Park, MN, Shirley (Ron) Locken of Winger, MN, and Marion (Vaughn) Wibbels of Bejou; two brothers, Len Sharbono and Israel “Buddy” Sharbono both of Minneapolis, MN; and a special niece, Marge Sharbono of Indianapolis, IN. She was preceded in death by her husband, Emil; one son, Kenneth in 1948; her parents; four brothers; three sisters; two sons-in-law, Willy Ystenes and Melvin Thompson both in 2014; and a special nephew, Ronnie Sharbono. Blessed be the Memory of Eva Mae Brtek. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 2 p.m. at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Mahnomen. Visitation will be held Friday from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the Anderson Family Funeral Home in Mahnomen and also continue one hour before services. Burial will be in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Cemetery, Bejou, MN.

Eva Mae Brtek

September 1, 1919 - September 29, 2014