Ava Emily (Harder) Toavs
Ava Emily (Harder) Toavs age 75, of Sun City, Ariz. and Columbia Falls, passed away on Monday, Nov. 14, 2011 at her home in Sun City.
Funeral services were Nov. 22, 2011 at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home Chapel in Kalispell with Pastor Rodney Myrum officiating. Burial will follow at Woodland Cemetery in Columbia Falls. Visitation was Tuesday, Nov. 22 at the funeral home.
Ava was born on Jan. 11, 1936, the daughter of Edward and Anna Maude (Birnel) Harder in Zurich. The family moved to the LaSalle area and Ava attended the LaSalle grade school and Flathead High School.
On April 3, 1955, Ava married James N. Toavs in Columbia Falls. In November of 1957, they purchased their first home where they raised their family. Ava was able to be a stay at home mom while raising Kathy, Laurie, Diane and Michael. Through the years there was hunting, fishing, camping, gardening and a "little hood riding" in the snow. The home place has been a welcoming haven for the grandkids and all those who wished to enter. Ava joyfully kept her home warm and inviting; a place where one could daily find fresh cookies or pie on the counter. Weekly, the smell of bread, buns and rolls, freshly baked wafted through the house. She loved preparing substantial meals for her family, feeding anyone who walked through the door - if you left hungry it was your own fault.
With a hug and a kiss goodbye, her family would leave for school and work every day, knowing her Bible was on the table and she would pray for each of them.
Ava had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to enjoy life. Her greatest contribution was her infectious laughter. With her listening ear and patient way she would give sound advice imparting her wisdom.
When feet were caught in bike spokes, heads injured in creek bottoms, fingers slammed in doors or fingernails hit with hammers, she would be there in her loving, caring way and you knew it was going to be OK. With her kind, generous and encouraging ways she gave willingly of her time and talents to her husband, children, and any who crossed her path.
Ava didn't finish high school, but in 1989 she earned her GED, graduating with all As.
When retirement came for Jim, they started spending time in Sun City during the winter months. Ava enjoyed yard sales and spending time with family and friends who were there. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
Ava was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Dick and Jim; and daughter, Laurie.
She is survived by her husband, James of Sun City and Columbia Falls; daughters, Katherine (Jerry) Choate of Sidney, and Diane (Tim) Werner of Crosby, N.D.; son, Michael Toavs of Glendive, and son-in-law, Rodney Emmert of Columbia Falls; eight grandchildren, Micah (Teresa) Emmert of Columbia Falls, Christopher (Katie) O'Clair of Sidney, Joshua (Chilleen) O'Clair of Sidney, Holly (Sean) Newbury of Eureka, Jonathan (Tina) O'Clair of Queen Creek, AZ, Amber Emmert of Colorado Springs, Colo., Heath (Alisa) Werner of Bloomfield, and Anna Sharbono of Glendive; Eleven and half great grandchildren; sister, Doris (Bob) Bernhardt of Salem, Ore. and brother, Irvin (Jolynn) Harder of Gilbert, Ariz.; three brothers-in-law and four sisters-in-law and their spouses. Stakston-Martin Funeral Home of Crosby and Buffalo Hill Funeral Home of Kalispell are assisting the family.