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Elaine Eleanor Gackle
01/12/1928 — 12/02/2007
From Richland, WA, US | Born in Crofton, NE
Elaine Eleanor Gackle
Elaine Gackle, 79, of Richland, Washington, slipped away from the bounds of this world to the freedom of heaven on December 2, 2007. Elaine was the second of four children and only daughter born to her Nebraskan parents. Raised on the family farm, she eventually became the teacher of a one room schoolhouse in that community.
She met her lifetime sweetheart, after World War II while attending Yankton College in South Dakota. They married in 1950. Her husband’s ministry in the Evangelical United Brethren Church and Evangelical Church of North America took them to Texas, Oregon, Montana, and North Dakota. Together they raised four children. They settled in Billings, Montana where they lived 26 years after her husband retired from full time ministry. They moved to Richland, Washington in 2002 to be closer to family.
Elaine had a teacher’s heart. She also loved to garden. She enjoyed the outdoors and especially the sun’s warmth in her retired years.
Elaine is preceded in death by her husband Albert and one brother. She is survived by her two brothers, her four children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, December 5, 2007, at Richland First Church of the Nazarene
What a beauty you were mom! No wonder you caught dad’s eye on your church’s Young Adults Hayride. For so long, I wanted to drive over to your apartment in Richland to talk things over with you…I miss you. I see you in my memories, standing forlornly at the prairie cemetery gravesite of your older brother Warren in 1946….17 or 18 years old? All our old family movies & the photos you took of our family run through my mind…you were a brave woman & I realize that now. What dreams you must’ve had the moment you walked down those steps of that Nebraskan country church on your wedding day. You were always such a tease…remember throwing snowballs back & forth on the top of Pikes Peak on your honeymoon drive to the first German-speaking church in Texas that dad pastored? You probably turned those dreams over to the Lord, so you would always be in the center of God’s will. I think of all the “lost years” where we hardly saw each other….thank you for being the letter-writer that you were, so at least we could keep in touch. What a privilege to be closer those last couple of years. All of your friends, our family members & church family from all those years deserved to be notified of your passing…the snowstorms that hit here hurried too many things along, & to this day, I wish it hadn’t been so rushed. Your memory deserved better. Now, all of your brothers, your parents & older family members plus all of dad’s side (including your first grandbaby, my daughter Rache’l) are all with you in Heaven. Life these days is not easy, but I stay faithful to our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ & long for running into Jesus’ arms & that grand reunion in Heaven. Oh what a glorious day that will be!
Thanks a lot, sorry we had to find it out thru the grape vine Myrna
In this time of loss, my heart reach out to you in deepest symapathy. May your good memories of your Mom, help lighten your loss. With my love and prayers.
Phil & family,
We are so sorry to hear of your loss, but we also rejoice with you in your Mom’s homecoming. Just to think that she’s seeing Jesus face-to-face now is almost too much for me. Your mom was, and is, a sweet woman. Our prayer is that you would sense Jesus’ sweet presence and that He would bring you comfort and joy in these rough and lonely days.
God bless you,
John and Sheila Howell
Dear Gackles, I have missed Elaines smile and seeing her walk daily in the neighborhood. She was really glad to leave to be closer to you and the rest of the family in her golden years. We wrote back and forth. I had not yet told her that my Bruce died in Aug. of a heart attack at our cabin. They are both at a better place. Card to follow. Connie Waggener
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Elaine Eleanor Gackle