Elsie Mary Crosswhite

Our beloved mother, Elsie Mary Crosswhite, 78, entered into God’s Kingdom on September 14, 2022, after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Elsie was born to Earl and Iona Blakeley on October 4, 1943, in St. Maries, Idaho.  When Elsie was 9 years old, her family moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, then when she was 12, the family moved to Spring Creek Road in Hope, Idaho where they remained.  She grew up in the Hope countryside and attended Sandpoint High School, graduating in 1961. Elsie attended Northwest Bible College in Minot, North Dakota in 1962, where she studied nursing.

Elsie met Paul Crosswhite as a child at the Sandpoint Church of God, where both families faithfully attended church.  Elsie and Paul were married on August 9, 1963, and remained so for the next 58 years, until Paul’s passing in October 2021.

Elsie was a dedicated mother to her children, Jerry and Brenda. Family came first and was more than anything else to Elsie, a value she instilled in all those around her. The hole left by her absence will be impossible to fill.  Elsie relished planning large family events and was the spindle that our family reunions rotated from.  She would start planning 2 years in advance, making sure all invitations were sent out and food was planned.  Everyone had a wonderful time, and these impossibly large events went off without a hitch.

Elsie was not just an attendee at the Sandpoint Church of God. She was an active member as President of the Ladies Auxiliary and later an active member, always volunteering to make candy and bake for the bake sales and creating arts and crafts for the yearly bazar.  She later attended New Life Church in Sandpoint.

Elsie was an expert seamstress, not only sewing quilts, but she sewed a lot of her daughter’s beautiful dresses for special events and passed that talent and love for creating clothing on to her daughter.

Elsie worked as a waitress at the IGA Café in her younger years.  She went on to work at M&J Grocery Store in the fabrics and clothing department, Discount Warehouse Market as a cashier, Ellisport Bay Marina Café, Ben Franklin Department Store in the fabrics department, Unicep and Walmart Fabric Department.  The jobs she worked in fabrics and crafts were jobs that she genuinely enjoyed.

Elsie was predeceased by her parents, Earl and Iona Blakeley, her husband Paul Crosswhite, brother Cephas Blakeley, and brother Marvin Blakeley.  She is survived by her sister, Louise (Joel) Swartzel of Tennessee, son Jerry Crosswhite of Sandpoint, daughter Brenda (Allen) Albert of Sandpoint, grandson Justin Cottle of Sandpoint, granddaughter Whitney (Zachary) Betz of Sandpoint, and 6 great-grandchildren, Adrianna, Gabriel, Elijah, Christian, Laveah and Gideon.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Elsie’s name to Lemons of Love Northwest, P.O.  Box 652, Coeur d Alene, ID  83816.  Services will be held at 11:00 am,  on October 21, 2022 at New Life Church in Sandpoint, with a small graveside service to follow at Pinecrest Cemetery.