Cecelia Frances Eide

Cecelia F. Eide, 90, of Great Falls, passed away on March 11, 2022. Cecelia was born September 18, 1931, in Dickinson, North Dakota to Paul and Barbara Kessel. Growing up in Glendive, MT, Cecelia attended the North Dakota School for the Deaf in Devils Lake, ND. At the age of 12, she transferred to the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind in Great Falls graduating in 1952. Cecelia married Richard Eide in 1953 and settled in Great Falls. Cecelia and Richard raised six children. Cecelia and Richard were an integral part of the Great Falls hearing community, teaching deaf sign language for many years. She was a 70-year member of the Montana Association of the Deaf, enjoying many friends through the association. She also held memberships in the Great Falls Club of the Deaf and the Big Sky Recreation of the Deaf as well as a longtime member of the Elks Club (BPOE) with her husband, Richard. As a wonderful mother and homemaker, Cecelia was also employed by World Wide Press for 19 years and a member of the Foster Grandparent Program for 17 years. From 2004 to 2021, Cecelia was a Foster Grandparent with the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind (MSDB). In 2011, she received a Presidential Award signed by President Obama in recognition for serving more than 4000 hours in the Foster Grandparent Program. She loved all the children that flowed through the halls of the MSDB. Her tireless dedication and endless generosity of her time will be greatly missed by children, teachers, and administrators. Cecelia’s hobbies included cooking not only for her family, but also for the many get-togethers and parties, collecting recipes, and sewing - including embroidery. She loved to bowl and watch sports in general. She loved all things strawberries. As a devout Catholic, in 1963, Cecelia and Richard began attending church at Saints Peter and Paul and enrolled their children through the school. For 58 years, she rarely missed Sunday mass at Saints Peter and Paul and later, Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Cecelia was preceded in death by her husband, Richard and daughter, Patricia Olson (Rodney). She is survived by her fraternal twin brother, Edward Kessel of Billings, and children, Thomas Eide (Debra) of Aurora, CO, Daniel Eide (Paula) of Renton, WA, John Eide (Florence) of Lynnwood, WA, William Eide (Rhonda) of Manhattan, and Lawrence Eide of Great Falls. Her large family included 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Public visitation for Cecelia will take place on Friday, March 25, 2022, from 6-8 p.m. at O’Connor Funeral Home. A funeral liturgy will be at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Saturday, March 26, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind Foundation, PO Box 6576, Great Falls, MT59406 or to Cascade County Aging Services, 1801 Benefis Ct, Great Falls, MT59405 c/o Foster Grandparent Program.