Eula Thompson

Eula Thompson

Eula passed away quietly in her sleep on Sept. 28, 2018, in her home at Valley Vista Care Center. A celebration of Eula’s life will be held from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at the home of Jim and Jola Forell. They are located at 11616 Baldy Mountain Road, Sandpoint. The phone number is 208-263-5934.

She was born May 14, 1922, to Alfred and Ora (Huff) Baker at Lewistown, Mont. In 1929, when Eula was 7, she was moved to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, with her parents and five siblings. Her father did odd jobs to pay for their rent plus wages of $1.00 per day. At one point they were in an old schoolhouse that had broken windows and no furniture. These were tough, hard-working folks and that could be attributed somewhat to their childhood. The family, with four more children, moved onto a farm in Porthill that became their permanent home.

Eula finished high school by moving into Bonners Ferry, waitressing, and living with a nice couple in the area. After graduation, she moved to Spokane and supported herself with more waitressing jobs. At the age 23, she met Joseph Thompson, one of the cooks she worked with. They were married May 18, 1945, and moved to Salt Lake City for a while, where a lot of Joe’s family resided. Eventually, Joe and Eula moved back to Bonners Ferry where Joe cooked for Forest Service crews and Eula was his flunkie. They later moved to Sandpoint where Joe cooked at the Pastime Café.

They had two daughters, Jola in 1952 and Crystal in 1954. Joe had to retire due to illness and passed away in 1973. By 1978, Eula sold her home, bought a small mobile home, and moved up to her daughter Jola’s and her son-in-law’s property on Baldy Road in Sandpoint.

Eula was a mother, did housekeeping jobs, and then went to work at the laundromat owned by Edwin Parkins. It was located in the old IGA parking lot where Columbia Bank is now located. She also worked part-time at the liquor store and Sandpoint Daily Bee. After many years she left the laundromat and volunteered at the Food Bank for a few more years. Eula was admitted into Valley Vista Care Center in December 2004

Eula enjoyed life and made everything fun. You were happy just being around her. She was passionate about her daughters, baseball, bowling, crocheting, pinochle, and helped set up games at the Senior Center. Finally, the biggest passion of all, grandchildren began appearing! She loved wearing her big blue coat that was just for campfires and roasting marshmallows, collecting lots of big (!) rocks in her car and bringing them home for son-in-law, Jim, to unload for her. Jim often wondered how she got them in the car.

She enjoyed New Year’s Eve parties, especially Uncle Bubby’s eggnog. Grandsons Joe and Josh would usually walk her to her home next door because she enjoyed that eggnog too much! She loved her car and going to different places, many of which included trips to Bonners to keep in touch with her Baker family. Her grandsons were a little worried to be with her in the car as he got older, for there were a few close calls and fender benders!

Eula was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Ora Baker, her husband Joe, son-in-law Donald Burns, and siblings Curtis Baker, Robert Baker, Milo Baker, Crystal Baker, Chester Baker, Christine Jeffries and Joyce Gross.

She is also survived by her daughters Jola (James) Forell and Crystal Burns, her grandchildren Joe (Becky) Forell, Tony (Brenda) Burns, Josh (Jackie) Forell, Amy (Brian) Reynolds, and her great-grandchildren, Damion, Brianna, Savanah, Dakota, Kaylauna, Jaycee, Kierra, Jada and two step-great grandsons, two step–great-great-grandchildren as well as her brother Alvie (Peach) Baker, sister Joan Mead and numerous nieces and nephews.

We would like to thank all her wonderful friends and neighbors through the years, as well as special thanks to the staff at Valley Vista for all the love and care that she received from them. They have been a great support for Eula’s family, which is so appreciated.

Family and friends are invited to sign Eula’s online guestbook at www.coffeltfuneral.com

Arrangements have been entrusted to Coffelt Funeral Service.