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Kathryne Elg
1921 - 2014
Kathryne M. Seeley Elg passed away Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2014, surrounded by loved ones at her home in Eagle, Idaho.
She was born July 24, 1921, with her twin brother, Kenneth, in Ashton, to Marthe and Alvin Seeley into a family of three siblings, Wanda, Hyrum and Mildred. Her mother passed away when the twins were two weeks old, so they lived with their Aunt Het, Alvin's sister, and Uncle Joe Stalker, and family in Felt, Idaho, for eight years.
Upon returning to live with their father after the death of Aunt Het, they joined an extended family: stepmother, Minnie; stepsisters, Mildred and Dortha; and brothers, Raymond and Harold.
After graduating from Ashton High School in 1939, Kathryne moved to American Falls, Idaho, to work as a switchboard operator for the telephone company. She changed her plans to attend college in the fall when she met and fell in love with Harold Carl Elg, with whom she would share her life for 72 years. They were married Sept. 9, 1939, and their marriage was solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1955.
In 1940, the couple followed Harold's employment in the building trade to Idaho Falls, Jackson Hole and San Diego. After moving to Long Beach, Calif., Harold joined the U.S. Coast Guard and was sent to the east coast. Kathryne returned to Idaho Falls to await the arrival of their first child, Elaine, born in 1943. When Elaine was six weeks old, Kathryne traveled for two days by train to join Harold in New York City for 18 months until he was assigned duty aboard-ship in the Pacific. At that time, mom and baby returned to live in American Falls.
After Harold completed his military service in 1946, the family settled in Shelley and two children were born, Harold Glenn and Marilyn. After Harold obtained employment with the Bureau of Land Management, the family moved to Idaho Falls, where Susan was born. The family was transferred to Ely, Nev., where Steven was born.
Due to new job positions and promotions with Harold's job, the family made several moves over the years. They relocated to Carson City, Nev., in 1957, moved to Salmon, Idaho, in 1960, for 12 years and then to Heyburn, Idaho, for six years. Subsequent moves by Kathryne and Harold were to Rupert, Idaho, back to Salmon and then to Rexburg in 1991, before retiring in Eagle in 2000. Kathryn always maintained that the family should have owned a moving van!
In 1958, when her youngest child was 2 years old, Kathryne was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease that caused the deterioration of her optic nerves, leaving her with very limited vision and poor health.
She never let her health challenges redefine her dedication as a devoted, caring mother, wife and homemaker. She was completely committed to her full-time job of raising five children, serving in church callings and providing help and comfort to anyone who was in need. Being an excellent cook, she was well known for making delicious meals for those who came to visit and she often took meals to others who were ill. She made many extended trips to help her family, always putting her own needs on hold in order to take care of others.
Kathryne will always be loved by all who were blessed enough to be a part of her life. She will be remembered with heartfelt gratitude for her perseverance and determination in the face of many difficulties in her life. She made it her lifetime mission to take care of her husband as he cared for her, to stand by each of her children in happiness and in hardships, and to open her arms with love and joy to her grandchildren, whom she said were "the light of her life."
She is survived by her children, Harold Glenn (Charlene) Elg of Garden Valley, Idaho, Marilyn (Brett) Spackman of Weitoloa, Hawaii, Susan (Bob) Roth of Boise and Steven (Marie) Elg of West Des Moines, Iowa; 17 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Mildred Seeley, Betty Gellings, Joy Elg and Joyce Seeley; brother-in-law, Iver Elg; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She has been cared for at home for the past few years with loving devotion by "angel" niece, Debbie Elg Cary.
Kathryne was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Harold; her daughter, Elaine Waldal; and her great-granddaughter, Gabrielle Hose.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 6, at the LDS Church, 2090 N. Eagle Road in Eagle, Idaho, under the direction of Summers Funeral Home. A viewing will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at Summers Funeral Home, 3629 E. Ustick Road in Meridian. Interment will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Fielding Memorial Park Cemetery in Idaho Falls.
Memories and condolences may be shared with the family on Kathryne's webpage at www.summersfuneral.com.
Published in Post Register from October 5 to October 6, 2014
[Great-granddaughter of SGS # 2337 - Kathryne M.; Alvin Wellington; Hyrum; Justus Wellington (# 2337); Justus Azel (# 836); Justus William; Joseph; John; Benjamin; Nathaniel, Robert]
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