Laura "Ellen" Boggs passed away on March 1, 2019, at the age of 96.  Born on November 17, 1922 to Otha and Emma Chrestensen Burdick, in Astoria Oregon, she was one of four daughters.  Her two older sisters, Margery Norton and Edna Blake, and her younger sister, Kaye Kjorlang, all preceded her in death.

In 1925, Ellen's father bought the entire town of Blueslide and moved his family to Washington State. In 1941, she married Wesley V. Boggs, who preceded her in death after 68 years of companionship.  Ellen gave birth to their first child, Phyllis Bauer McCurdie, in the back of the family store at Blueslide, but delivered Sharon Rucker, Gail Berendt, and Ted Boggs at the hospital in Ione.  Ted and Sharon, also preceded her in death along with son-in-laws Don Bauer, Dean Rucker, and Lyle Berendt.

Ellen was a hard worker and there wasn't much she couldn't or wouldn't do.  She drove the first logging truck in the county, fed mink at Pennell's Fur Farm, carried papers, worked at and managed several restaurants, baby sat, and was a night watchman for PVF.  She might be best remembered for assisting Wes in shoeing horses and making friends up and down Pend Oreille Valley until they were both in their late 80s.

She was pretty handy at home, too.  Ellen could change oil, fix a car, defrost frozen pipes, repair anything in the house, and shoot straighter than most men.  She bragged about plumbing in the first water at Blueslide using a hose and gravity flow water.

The domestic skills of knitting, sewing, crocheting, gardening, and cooking were among her bag of tricks and she generously shared the fruits of those talents with others.  Her grandchildren will forever cherish the doilies and quilts she labored over with love.  Great grandchildren recall the times spent making chocolates with their "Granny Grapes."  Neighbor children were treated to her Halloween popcorn balls, friends were greeted with baked goods and coffee when they dropped by, and co-workers had chicken and noodles or liver and onions delivered to the worksite.  Her heart was big and if you were the lucky recipient of that love you knew it.

On the other hand, if she had a beef with you, you knew that, too.  She could deliver a tongue lashing like no one else!  She had quite a colorful and extensive vocabulary that just added to her vibrant character.

As outgoing as she was, Ellen's life revolved around her family.  She was always there to support them in times of need and to cheer them to success through each generation.  In fact, she was such a fixture at Cusick basketball games, that the school finally put a padded chair on the sidelines, so that she could greet friends and watch her great grandsons play in comfort.

Ellen will be sorely missed by those who survive her—daughters Phyllis McCurdie and Gail Berendt; daughter-in-law JoAnn Boggs; grandchildren LaDonna Jones, Linda NeVille, Cliff Bauer, Laura Haikkila, Sherry Rucker, Brenda Benham, Melody Brown, Lane Berendt, MaLynda Scott, and Misty Shults as well as many great and great-great grandchildren.

The family wishes to thank the Newport Long Term Care facility for watching over Ellen during the final eight years she was with us.

A memorial service for Ellen will be held on May 3 ^rd at the Usk Community Hall.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Usk Community Hall.

Sherman-Campbell Funeral and Cremation Services in Newport is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at shermancampbell.com .