Obituary of Elsie L. McIntyre

No Public Visitation is Planned Elsie Loraine Lewis McIntyre Elsie Loraine Lewis McIntyre, 86, passed away at home in Lacey, WA on July 26, 2008. Elsie was born September 30, 1921 in Kennewick, WA as the oldest of five children born to Nelson E. and Grace V. (Keith) Lewis. At the age of 14, she was headed to a weekend dance, when she chanced to meet an older boy of 18 (Robert McIntyre) outside a downtown drugstore in Kennewick. He asked her out – and the rest as they say is history. Eight Months later, they eloped to Yakima, WA and married at the ages of 14 and 19. Elsie became a mother at 15, and they spent the next 71 years growing up together. After Robert’s death and a brief 8 month separation, they are together again. What do I remember about my Mother? Where do I begin? She was a loving companion to my father – we grew up with a healthy attitude about relationships, even in recent later years, I wish I had carried a camera around to catch more of the “moments” between them. One day while I had them both at a Doctor appointment – Dad was using a walker by then – Mom was having a difficult time walking all the way down the sidewalk to the lab for blood work – Dad had her sit down on the seat of his walker, and proceeded to give her a ride. Talk about cute old couples. I never doubted how much they loved each other, and all of us. I remember how beautiful her skin was, she could have starred in a Dove Soap or Ponds Cold Cream commercial. She looked so young in her 50’s someone once asked her “how old her new baby was?” It was her grandchild – number 15, if I recall. During her life she was a Den Mother, Sunday School Teacher, Primary Teacher, Relief Society Teacher, Visiting Teacher, Temple Worker, Journeyman Grocery Clerk, Business owner, played the organ (taking lessons as an adult) baked from scratch (none of the boxed stuff from her kitchen) baked the best cakes, cookies and bread (a family photo will show you just how good it was) taught two daughters how to sew, taught new daughters-in-law the fine art of baking and sorting laundry, even learned “Japanenglish” when conversing with her daughter – in – law from Japan, worked outside the home for many years of her adult life, took in extra children from time to time, and raised seven of her eight children to adulthood. She tolerated the “Zoo” of creatures we brought into her house – guinea pigs, dogs, cats, parakeets, fish, horny toads, snails, and I am sure a few I have forgotten about. The only ones I ever remember her ordering out of the house and destroyed – were the scorpions that Debra brought into the house in a quart jar – sans lid! There was also the time while diligently going through pockets while sorting laundry, she let out a scream you could probably hear down the block! She had reached into the pockets of my younger brothers – shoving her hand right into a pile of rubber worms!!! Of course as kids, we got a good laugh out of that one. If you played in the mud at our house, you were introduced to the “garden hose shower”. And trust me – they didn’t know how to heat the water then either! As children we were also introduced to the “Applesauce Cure” for aches, pains and fevers. I am not sure how old any of us were before we knew she was crushing up aspirin in that teaspoon of applesauce. Did Mother ever embarrass her children? I remember in Driver Education Class at Kennewick High School – it was the day the Washington State Patrol came in to give their little spiel about traffic safety. Some 'wiseacre' in the class asked “Did anyone ever out run you?” The officer replied “As a matter of fact, there was a little VW Beetle one day on Canal Street. A female driver came whizzing past in the opposite direction. By the time I got turned around to chase her down, she was long gone.” If ever there was a time I sheepishly wanted to crawl under my desk and disappear – that was it! I already knew the story – the driver was my mother! Thankfully, I knew sometimes it’s just better to keep your mouth shut! When we were on family car trips and it was Mother’s turn to drive – Dad was always looking over at the speedometer and chastising her to “SLOW DOWN! a little”. Of course we would be in the back seat, grinning from ear to ear – “Go MOM”. We used to tease her about needing a leather jacket and crash helmet. She not only was a great Mom – she went on to be one of the World’s Best Grandmothers – just ask her grandchildren. Every one of her grandchildren and great grandchildren knew exactly where she kept the “Toy Basket” and her stash of homemade cookies and, later in her life, “Little Debbie” Snax. They also knew if you left hungry or without a big hug – it was your own fault. So rest up sweet mother – we will all be home again before you know it.