Naola A. Crnkovich

Obituary

Naola Adrian Crnkovich, 93

Naola Adrian Crnkovich passed away on July 11, 2023 in Blackfoot, Idaho at age 93. She was born on December 16, 1929 in Boise, Idaho. Her parents were Quince B. Howell and Elna Nielsen Howell. Quince worked for the railroad in Pocatello and Elna immigrated from Denmark with her family.

Naola grew up in Pocatello working and playing on their small acreage, learning to garden and bottle fruit and vegetables. She loved trips to Emmett Idaho to visit family and pick fruit. Her hands were small enough to pack the fruit just right into jars to win country fair ribbons. Naola graduated from Pocatello High School and went to work for the Pocatello School District, where she met Larry Crnkovich. They were married on June 1, 1951 and were blessed to have four children, Paula (Jeff Millington), Lori (Brian Mattson), Lynn (Charley Kotter) and Mont (Stacy) Crnkovich.

Naola honed her bookkeeping and administrative talents and skills at the Pocatello School District Office and Potelco Federal Credit Union and applied them to Broadway Ford and other family businesses until she retired at age 87. She was meticulous with her accounting and enjoyed having everything organized, in its place and all the books balanced. Naola was unselfish in sharing her knowledge with work colleagues and training employees to make them successful as well. Her many contributions to the family businesses were a key factor in their success.

Her greatest joys and accomplishments came from partnering with Larry in helping her children grow and develop. Most summer weekends while the children were growing up, she would load up kids, their friends, animals and groceries and head to the Blackfoot Reservoir. Later in life, the grandchildren joined in waterskiing, fishing, taking walks, mowing, riding bikes and motorcycles and enjoying fantastic meals. She loved her family and her animals. Naola enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and the chance it gave her to visit with friends and family as pieces found their way into the puzzle, sometimes celebrating a find with fanfare. She had a very active lifestyle, walking most days and riding her bike well into her 80s.

Naola was a homebody and took pleasure sitting on the patio to enjoy her flowers, waterfall and amazing yard. Her landscaping was stunning and she wanted it to be a place where family and friends could gather. Her home was organized and decorated with style and a flourish. She preferred that tasks be done to the highest standards, such as mitering the corners of the sheets when she made beds (something she learned volunteering during the war). She always wanted herself and her family to look nice. She had her hair done every week for over 60 years. Naola was a great cook and the family knew they were in for a treat when she pronounced a dish she prepared as a “flop.” It never was! She learned to sew and knit and used her skills to provide family members with clothes, hats and sweaters. Naola was proud of her children as they developed their homemaking skills and especially loved all of the handmade quilts she received over the years.

Naola orchestrated things to make Christmas special: decorating a live tree on her birthday, singing and reveling on Christmas Eve, delighting each child with just the right gifts and cooking amazing turkey dinners to share with extended family. She was very generous with her time and resources all year round, consistently helping family, friends and even strangers (many times anonymously) through rough patches in their lives. The generosity that she and Larry practiced was instilled in their children and Naola often said this was a great joy and payback to see this compassion in action.

Naola is preceded in death by her husband Larry (2017) and is survived by her four children and their spouses and ten grandchildren whom she loved dearly: Paul (Nicole) Kotter, Leah Mortensen, Jason Kotter and Kevin (Christi) Kotter; Neil, Emily and Ryan Mattson; Jordan Crnkovich (Jessica), Cassidy (Sean Wareing), and Carli (Morgan Bodily); and nine great grandchildren including Marcus, Nathan and Lexi Mortensen; Wade, Max and Lily Kotter; Carlee and Kennedy Crnkovich; and Everleigh Bodily.

The family wants to express their gratitude for the staff and caretakers at The Gables in Blackfoot and The Aspen. They were truly angels in providing inspired and wonderful care over the last year.

Condolences can be shared with the family at www.hawkerfuneralhome.com.