ELSA FOELKER - OBITUARY -November 14, 2011 ...1:37 pm, forever etched in our mind and heart...

Elsa M. Foelker  March 29, 1923 - November 14, 2011

Here is our dear sweet Elsa...such sparkles in her eyes and such a delightful smile ... such a positive and happy person.  She is now laid to rest...I know she is with our Lord, no doubt about it.  If you have been following my blog with updates about Elsa, then you know how I write...from the heart...all the wonderful moments we had towards the end...I captured them in my heart and then came home to write them here so that I would forever remember them...And my children and grandchildren can go back and read about her...the last month of her life was really a lot of fun for us because we took the time to sit with her every day and talk with her and laugh with her...if you go to any of the "labels" on the sidebar and see the word "Elsa" you can click on it and the stories will be brought up for you to read.  She never lost her sense of humor...right up to the day before she passed away, she had that wonderful humor that brought tears and chuckles to our eyes.

Okay, I am probably going to write a novel here, but before I do, I will give you the information that probably brought you to this blog...the obituary...and you recognize the picture above...the same one in the Oregonian...Elsa is going to be interred at the Willamette National Cemetery, however only the immediate family will be present.   But we have to celebrate her life with all of  you who knew and loved her also.  Please join us at an Open House on Sunday, November 27 from 1 - 5 pm.  Scott and I will host this celebration.  Come with your memories to share with all of us  - even any pictures that you might have, we would love to reminisce with you the times you had with both Bill and Elsa.  Our address is:  450 Twilight Trail, West Linn, Oregon.  The easiest directions from I- 205 is to take the Stafford Rd Exit and head north towards Lake Oswego (now if you are like me, you want to know if that is right or left...and it is LEFT off the exit ramp if you come from I-5, BUT, if you are coming from Oregon City, Milwaukie or any area on the east side of the river, then you will take the exit on your right and go RIGHT!!!..ha ha...I am directionally challenged, so I don't have a clue about North or South, just tell me to go left or right...sorry that is just me!).  So after you go LEFT...or RIGHT...towards Lake Oswego,  you will stay on Stafford Road, go through ONE round - about take the second exit on the round - about so that you are going straight on Stafford.  Go about 1 more mile to a second round-about...turn RIGHT at the first exit...Now you are on Rosemont Rd...go 1.2 miles and take the FIRST RIGHT, Wilda Rd...it is at the bottom of the road before it goes up a hill...take the first LEFT (the road kind of just turns to the left) now you are on Sweetbriar Rd...go 1/2 mile until you come to a "T" in the Road...take a RIGHT ...That is Twilight Trail...the second house on the left is ours...the first house on the left is our daughter's...and you are welcome to park along the street or even in their upper driveway.  We really do invite and welcome all who wish to come to remember the person who was a wife to Bill, a mother to Scott and John, a mother-in-law (the best ever!) to Robin and myself, a grandmother to Dina and Lacey (and their husbands Jamie and Aaron) and a great grandmother to six..(three from each daughter)...Caleb (12), Addie (4), Tristan (2) (they belong to Lacey and Aaron), and Ellie (10), Lily (8) and Jalen (4) (Dina and Jamie's children).

Elsa was born on March 29, 1923 in the town of Tillamook because that is where the hospital was...her family lived in Garibaldi.  Her parents both came from Norway in a town called Rosendal.  Her father was John Skaaluren and her mother was Anna Skaale.  Her father worked in the timber industry...either in the mills or working with wood.  Her mother was a homemaker and Elsa had a younger sister Anna May, who preceded Elsa in death.  During Elsa's high school years her family moved to Reedsport and from there she went to Pacific University and majored in Chemistry.  She met the love of her life, Bill Foelker while at the university.   They married in 1944...this December 16, 2011 would have been their 67th wedding anniversary.
Scott was born in 1950 and John in 1952, Elsa stayed home with her boys until they were both in school full time and could be responsible to come home by themselves.  She went back to school to get her teachers certificate and started teaching at Lot Whitcomb School in the North Clackamas School District.  She taught Fourth grade for many years, but she ended her teaching career teaching second graders.  When she was 59 years old she retired from teaching.

I am going to post this now...and return later to add more of the last 30 years of Elsa's life.