Evelyn Isham, age 92, of LCO, passed away peacefully Saturday, October 26, 2013 at her home surrounded by re family.

Evelyn Marie Isham, Ganamanj and Mindimooye, Migizi doodaim, born March 16, 1921, grew up on the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Reservation, Reserve, WI. Historically, as original Ojibwe, this was during a time period when her parents were not even considered Untied States citizens. Her parents, Willis Isham and Julia (Smith) Martin, together had sixteen children, with Evelyn being the youngest, the baby girl. While times were rough, and money was extremely scarce, their family made the most of what they had – from hunting, gathering, gardening and fishing. Grandpa Willis was a guide for the legendary gangster Al Capone, and Grandma Julia was a homemaker and house cleaner for the Al Capone Hideout. She became well known for her ability to hand sew deerskin leather and beaded jackets; picking blueberries and strawberries for all the hundreds of pies for the lumbermen and summer tourist trade. Throughout Evelyn's early life, she and her sisters during the Great Depression, learned all the values of cooking, baking, sewing, moccasin-making, quilting, beadwork, and eventually she was known for her famous fry-bread recipe. Her schooling was limited because she cried so much to stay with her mom so her parents brought her back home that she would not have to go away to the Indian boarding school.

Growing up, she eventually moved to Chicago for the job services offered through the Indian Relocation Act. At the American Indian Center in Chicago, she made even MORE FRYBREAD and delicious homemade berry pies for the staff and visitors active in the community events, like powwows and museum trips. She married Don Taylor, an Ojibwe veteran from Leech Lake, MN who later passed on. While raising her young family in Chicago, she, then married a handsome Korean War Conflict Veteran, Pete Ford, from LCO. He drove on long distance truck routes, from California to Florida, and she kept herself involved for many years in numerous positive youth activities. They spend many Halloween celebrations dressing up with their kids, costumes such as Aunt Jemima, pumpkin, Indian princess, and a funny clown.

Eventually, the yearning for her childhood home drew Evelyn and her children back to their birthplace, and home at Reserve, WI. There, she continued with her cooking, continually baking Indian dogs (frybread with hotdogs inside) for events like the local softball tournaments in Reserve and giant cinnamon rolls for the HUD housing workers. Ever mindful of historical events around her, she even set up her skillet bread and deer meat and manoomin soup stand at the river's edge of the flooded waterway to feed the activists who were protesting at the Chippewa Flowage Winter Dam Takeover in 1971, a testament to her beliefs in the strength of the home she loved at LCO. Evelyn loved to be involved with her community and had her traditional food stand each year from the beginning of the Honor the Earth Traditional Powwow. She was our elder advisor for the youth pageant since the beginnings, also honored as Anishinabe Ekwe 2008 of our reservation. She was the backbone of the start of the LCO Ojibwe School, her guidance, perseverance, and wisdom became the inspiration for the creation of the LCO Ojibwe School. Working as the school's cook, then teaching traditional foods and instructing in native handmade arts and crafts that she made with creativity and love. Over the years she has made dance regalia for over 500 children. The best time of her life was her participation at St. Francis Solanus Indian Mission and School. She just loved to sing "Silent Night" in Ojibwe, and making Fry bread for the yearly June Harvest Feast.

Evelyn loved to travel to as many powwows as she could, even spending long hours cooking outside at many of the traditional powwows. Her favorite time at dances was to watch her children and grandchildren dance the Woodland Dances and sing. Our mother loved the "old woman songs," she said, singing sweetly to herself about the songs she loved and remembered. A gentle but expressive "Ho-wah" was her special word and her lips pointing in the directions of "over der!.."

Her home always had something to eat or drink for her friends from all over Indian Country, as well as she loved traveling to many powwows near and far. Traveling by car and even by AmTrack train, she really enjoyed the Gathering of nations Powwow and the beauty and glamour of the Miss Indian World Pageant in Albuquerque, MN. From her younger years, she always took us to Historyland Powwows, moccasins soaking wet, she taught her girls how to scrape their moccasins dry. She taught wigwam building and weaving rush mats for the upkeep of the iron wood wigwams at Tony Wise's Hayward Historyland. During the winter months, Evelyn and her family went to the logging camp to hear the old Ojibwe songs sung by LCO elders at the drum. Pipe Mustache and Bill Baker were travel companions as singers between Lac du Flambeau Indian Bowl and LCO.

On subsequent Saturdays, time was made for skiing with all her children. At the Old Community Hall, Evelyn was an old hand at roller skating, and snow shoeing. As son Michael got older, his mother, Evelyn, always cleared out a patch of ice for him below the hill for ice hockey and a good time of sledding with little brother Larry. Both Gary and Michael had their share of fun in her forested yard.

As time went on, at home, she went every year to the Landing, a summer evening powwow-expo show for the tourist that demonstrated all styles of our Woodland dances and songs. She never missed the weekly Wednesday powwow, enjoying the outings as much as she could, even at the last few years when old age gently hindered her ability to walk. Our mom participated in the summer LCO Dance Camp and Niimiwin Club, making sure all aspects of the culture was passed down to the community kids as well.

Many people knew of her generosity and kindness as she gave her heart to others as their adopted mother, a mom who knew how to make others feel cared for. Throughout the many years with our mother, we all came to know and understand the considerable pride and support she felt in seeing her sons – Gary, Michael, and Larry – become veterans of the US Military Services as Navy, Army and Marines. Through the generations, daughters Muriel, Becky and Sirella followed in their mother's footsteps, from Muriel, an event planner who learned to design innovative costumes, winning at the convention center; Becky's courage as a generational role model in the evolution of powwow fancy shawl, traditional, and jingle dancing; Sirella's inherent gift of beadwork design and our Mom's gift for making excellent fry bread. Mom created many memories for us kids and now we are passing her creativity and love on to her grandchildren from her as our role model.

We cherish her memory with these thoughts of her life and her continued legacy carried on by her children, Gary, Michael, Muriel , Becky, Larry and Sirella. You will always remain in our hearts and your advice will guide us now. Forever yours and forever a family. With love and devotion, we will miss you , Mom.

She is survived by her children Gary Taylor, Michael Taylor, Muriel (Jay) Shirriff, Becky Taylor, Larry (Melanie) Ford and Sirella (Ferguson) Ford; grandchildren kelly, Michelle, Melanie, Marcus, Carissa, Valerie, james, Sheena, Thomas, Felicia, Reanna, Tyler, Chelsea, Willis & Renae; great grandchildren Matthew, Markailen, Zoe, Quintin, Theresa, Maymangwa, Zaagi'idiwin, Zayne & Mariah; adopted children Patty, Sam, Susan "Bitsy" Austin, Julie Snow, MaryAl Barbers, Tweed Shuman, Michelle Robles, Rosie Shumate, Rynn Kelly and many name sakes.

Evelyn was proceeded in death by her parents; brothers and sisters George, Cyrus, Joe, Archie, Veronica, Agnes, Alta, Mary, Hattie, Sophie, Julia, Jim, Leo, Albert & Edward.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 30 at St. Francis Solanus Indian Mission in Reserve with Father Gregory Hopefl officiating and music provided by Sister Felissa Zander and Dianne Sullivan. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29 at the funeral home.

Honorary casket bearers will be Tommy Bjorkman, Louie Gougé, Lois Haskins, Mike Isham, Margie Lamorre, Vernon Martin, Herb Sam and Neil Seidel.

Casket bearers will be Thomas Cain III, Tyler Ford, Willis Ford, Julian Helsper, Jerry Martin and James Shirriff.