Loreen Ellersick
Loreen Ellersick, 93
Momma, after 10 years without your sight, oh happy day, you are able to see Pops, “Frankie Doodle.”
Mom was born May 28, 1923, to Merl and Ruth Miley in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Soon two little sisters, Marilyn and Merlene (Mickey), were born.
Their parents owned a summer resort at Echo Beach on lower Twin Lake. As an infant, mom was propped up in her high chair in the center of the store, where her parents cared for her and waited on the store’s customers.
Mom loved the resort’s familiar faces, she enjoyed work and was grateful for the responsibility, working alongside her parents.
Mom delighted in a star-filled sky, her little phonograph, a special paddle that her dad had given her, and a canoe where she could be out on the lake in the quiet of the night.
She often spoke of her favorite Christmas, she had received new ice skates. The night air was crisp, the snowflakes gently falling down were the largest she had ever seen. She tied on her skates and went out on the ice pushing snow in front of her blades, skating through the night with her mom.
She had steel boats to bail, oars and life jackets to place in the boats. Fish bait to gather, candy cases to fill, ice chunks from the ice house to fill the pop coolers. Messages to deliver, boat oil bottles to fill and customers needed to be ferried across the lake to their cabins.
Mom loved her childhood and felt it to be magical: swimming, diving, bonfires, echoes, canoeing and skating!
Her dad allowed her to drive out through the woods while he hunted for deer on foot. Mom would drive back around, her little feet barely reaching the pedals, and pick him up.
School was important, graduating early from high school. She loved playing basketball and the clarinet. She attended North Idaho Junior College. On a blind date she was introduced to Frank Ellersick, tall, lanky, with a beautiful smile. They enjoyed walks in the rain, long walks around Tubbs Hill, swimming, ice skating and meeting each others family.
Frank enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942 at the start of World War II, piloting a B-17 bomber in England. Mom wrote him and waited for his safe return, wearing a gold engagement band that wore out until his return in December 1945.
Starting school at the University of Idaho, they married Oct. 18, 1947. At graduation, daughter Vicki was born, followed by three sons; Steve, John and Mike; and their daughter, Marji.
Many years were lived in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Dad worked in the sawmill, mom served and loved her friends, neighbors and church, pinning hair, grocery shopping, reading at the restorium, Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts.
Dad’s retirement from the mill in 1987 moved mom and dad down to Twin Lakes from Bonners Ferry. They built on to their Lilac Lodge cabin and so enjoyed being together at the lake, late night swims, paddling their “old town canoe,” watching baseball and the Jazz.
Granny will always be remembered for reading to the grandkids, teaching them to swim and dive, listen to their echoes around the bonfire, silvermint Schwan bars, homemade grape juice, toffee, green punch, French bread, raspberries, chocolate Rice Krispy bars and hot chocolate chip cookies.
Mom, you and Dad left us with the lake legacy of family and service. You are loved so very much and we cannot wait to be with you and Dad again.
Final resting place, with Dad, Riverview Cemetery in Coeur d’Alene.