Eloise Bentley Swanson, 94

Eloise Bentley Swanson passed away on May 20, 2019, in hospice care in Coeur d’Alene with her children by her side. Eloise was born Dec. 10, 1924, in Colorado Springs, Colo., to Clellan Bentley and Genevieve (Coumerilh) Bentley. They later moved to Mullan, Idaho, where Eloise grew up and attended school. She attended Kinman Business School in Spokane, Wash. Eloise worked at Central PreMix in Spokane. She met Donald C. Swanson, whom she fell in love with and married on Dec. 18, 1948.

Don and Eloise raised three children, David Clellan, Monica Louise and Claudia Eloise, in Spokane and Hayden Lake, Idaho, where they had a family cabin. Eloise worked with Don, who started Crawford Door Sales, in Spokane Valley. The family later moved there and lived on 23rd Street, where they made lifelong friends. Don and Eloise retired in Post Falls. She spent the last three years of her life with dear friends at Garden Plaza.

Eloise was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Coeur d’Alene. She was a Stephen minister and served on the Board of Episcopal Church Women. She was active in many volunteer organizations throughout her life. She was a member of Suburbanites of Spokane, Hospice of North Idaho, New Hope of Spokane and No One Should Die Alone. She was a mentor for students at Ponderosa Elementary School in Post Falls, where her grandchildren went to school. She established and trained visitors to help in three nursing homes in Coeur d’Alene, assisting individuals without family members. Eloise had a passion to give to those less fortunate, alone or in need.

Eloise and Don liked to travel in their RV and prayed that his driving wouldn’t get them killed. They spent many wonderful years at Hayden Lake, sharing their cabin with family and friends. Eloise loved to read and spent many hours watching her grandchildren’s sports activities. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She was loved by her family and will be dearly missed.

Eloise is survived by three children: David (Barbara) Swanson; Monica (Tim) Haff; and Claudia Wilkinson. She had seven grandchildren: Jay, Larry, Dena, Kate, Kevin, Anna and Carri; 11 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Donald Swanson, in 2006; sisters Norma, Donna and Rosanne; and one nephew.

A celebration of life will take place from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at Garden Plaza, 545 N. Garden Plaza Court, Post Falls. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Hospice of North Idaho, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.

The family would like to thank the hospice staff for the loving care of their mother and the kindness they showed to her family.

Yates Funeral Home is entrusted with final arrangements. Please visit Eloise’s online memorial and sign her guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.