Elsie Wells

Miss Elsie has packed up her Cribbage Board and her Pinochle deck and gone in search of new opponents. On the evening of Thursday, December 31, she slipped into the light for all eternity with family members present to see her off. Elsie was preceded in death by her parents Henry and Katie Ruff, brothers, Henry, Dave, Fred, Lonnie, and Peter, sisters: Mary 1, Molly, Mary 2, and Lydia, son-in-law Scott, and grandson Michael. She is survived by her brother Alec, sons John (Jane) and Fred (Gloria), daughter Mary (Jim), grandsons Chip, Sean, Jason, granddaughter Kara, great grandsons: Brandon, Evan, Ocean, Justice, great granddaughters Noelle and Bella and a host of friends. Elsie was born as Elsie Ruff September 4th, 1920 on the windswept wheat prairies near Leader, Saskatchewan. At an early age her family immigrated to Oregon and then to Whatcom County where they worked the harvests for various farmers until they could buy their own farm near Ferndale. Early in WW II she and her sister Lydia (Lil) went to Seattle to work in a meat packing plant in support of the war effort. At a USO dance she met a handsome young army air corpsman from Arkansas named Moody Westerfield. They were married and a year and a half later son John was born. After the war ended, Moody came back to Bellingham to collect his wife and young son and take the back to Arkansas where son Fred and daughter Mary were born. In 1953, the family moved back to Bellingham. The marriage ended in the early 60s and she eventually married David L Wells who worked in construction. Upon his retirement, they managed the Park Motel for a time then moved to Waterville where they owned and operated the Wheat Haven Café. After Dave’s death, she stayed in Waterville for a few years, eventually moving back to Bellingham taking up residence at the Woodrose SHAG apartments where she made many friends. After nine years there, she moved to the North Cascade Health and Rehabilitation facility where she lived until her passing. Those who knew her loved her. She was everyone’s friend from first meeting on and never knew an enemy. Her smile was quick and sincere and she loved to laugh, even at herself. She loved her Cribbage and was still winning games until just a few days before her passing. She could count your hand upside down from across the table with just a glance. She was also a wicked Pinochle player and it seems that nearly every family gathering involved a game or two. Elsie was proud of her German heritage and loved to cook and serve the dishes she grew up with. Dinners at the Black Forest with Fred and Gloria were a special treat for her. All of her cooking was exceptional and she was famous for her pies and John would drive all the way to Waterville to have some. Canning fruit was something she enjoyed for many years and even peeling peaches for Jane was fun for her. She loved trips to Battle Ground to spend time with Mary and Jim for good food and cards. She owned and loved cats and dogs throughout her life and treated them more like children than animals, including morning coffee with her dog Beegee. Anyone else’s pet was welcome in her home or her lap. Family was first and foremost in her life and she was always on your side and supportive. She bore the concern of two sons in the army during a war with grace and courage. That courage also saw her through the loss of a beloved son-in-law and a grandson. Her daughter Mary was the jewel in her mother’s crown and she cherished her grandchildren as well. The family wishes to thank the staff and residents of Woodrose Apartments for all the kindness and friendship they extended to Elsie during her eight years as a resident there and to the kind and gentle ladies from Circle of Life and GloriaWesterfield for their many months of care that allowed Elsie to stay in her apartment much longer than her physical abilities would have allowed. We also wish to thank the staff and management of North Cascade Health and Rehabilitation facility for the loving care, the respect and the friendship they offered Miss Elsie during the nine months she lived among them. And finally, we give heartfelt thanks to the Doctors and staff of St. Joseph’s Hospital and especially the Second Floor Nursing team for the tender loving care and compassion you gave to Elsie and all of us during the final days and hours of her life. You people are very special and we will never forget your kindness, compassion and understanding during this very difficult time for us. A Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday January 6, 2016, 11:00am at Moles Farewell Tributes – Ferndale, 2039 Main St., Ferndale.

Elsie Wells

September 4, 1920 - December 31, 2015