Beryl Ellowa Littlefield

Beryl Ellowa Littlefield passed away on December 29, 2024, at Highgate Senior Living Memory Care in Great Falls, Montana at the age of 87.

Beryl was born on May 30, 1937, in Larson, North Dakota to Louie and Elvira Watterud. She was the second of four children.

Beryl was a caring and selfless individual even at a young age. Her younger brother, Wilbun, was born with cerebral palsy. Doctors predicted Wilbun would never learn to walk. With intent on defying physician projection, as a preteenager, Beryl took it upon herself to train and guide Wilbun in front of her until he gained the strength to walk on his own.

Beryl’s father was killed in a horse accident on their family farm when Beryl was fourteen years old. A few years later, Beryl moved to Conrad, Montana to live with her aunt and uncle to attend her senior year of high school in1955. After graduating from Great Falls Commercial College in January 1957, she worked for attorney Charles Jacobsen in Conrad. She married Jack Baker of Conrad, MT in 1958. In 1965, the Baker family moved to Nampa, Idaho where all five children were raised. It was important that her children attended grade school at Zion Lutheran School and were confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Nampa. Beryl was a kind, loving mother. There wasn’t anything she couldn’t do. She wasn’t one to sit idle. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, canning, ladies aid, home repairs, furniture refinishing, teaching Brownies, gardening, landscaping, etc. Beryl divorced Jack in 1979.

Beryl bought a home in Meridian, Idaho and held a financial position upstairs at Washington Federal Savings and Loan downtown Boise, Idaho for about 16 years.

While living in Meridian, Beryl was introduced to Leon Littlefield. In 1992, Leon and Beryl were happily married for less than two years when Leon passed away from a brain tumor. Beryl retired in 1997 and moved to Montana to be near her daughter and son-in-law; sister; and mother. Beryl had a close relationship with her mother; sister; five children; and six grandchildren. She always enjoyed the visits from her children to her home in Great Falls. Laughter filled her home. She maintained that her best years were her retirement years. It was during these years that she became an avid quilter and had a reputation for excellent work. She was commissioned by a prominent Great Falls quilt shop to produce numerous store samples and won quilting awards at the Montana State Fair. Beryl enjoyed teaching and visiting the ladies at the “East Brady Quilting Club.”  She also enjoyed volunteering with the ladies of St John’s Lutheran Church in Great Falls to sew quilts for the less fortunate.

Beryl was preceded in death by her husband, Leon Littlefield; parents, Louie and Elvira; brothers, Larry and Wilbun; and daughter-in-law, Kathryn Baker.

She is survived by her sister, LaVonne Gilcher; son, Jeffrey Baker; daughter, Laurel Baker; daughter and son-in-law, Lana Heinz, and Randy Heinz; daughter and son-in-law, Paula Baumann and Roy Baumann; daughter, Karmen Alvaro; grandson, Alex Heinz; granddaughters, Lydia Bordo, Candice Shields, Lesley Malson, Kennedy Alvaro, and Kilee Alvaro.

Cremation has taken place, and a private memorial service is planned for the spring.