Elsie Ina Woods

Elsie Woods died peacefully surrounded by her family.   She is survived by three children, Victoria, Thomas and Kathryn, daughters-in-law Anna and Belinda, eight grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.  Elsie was predeceased by her husband Edward, her son, Michael, and her son-in-law, Robert Jonas.

Mom was an amazing woman.  She balanced love for her family with her love for volunteering and combined these two loves her entire life.

She was an active volunteer at St. Francis of Assisi Parish and school in Burien when her children went there and then later in her life she was a “grand parent” volunteer at Holy Rosary School in Tacoma for her grandchildren.  After the kids and grandkids were out of school, she became an active volunteer at St. Vincent de Paul through her parish, St. Martin of Tours, Fife, Washington.  She loved this activity as she was able to meet so many new friends and help so many people in her community.

Mom was an assistant leader with 4-H clubs with her children and their horses including driving the truck and towing the trailer with the horses to the different shows.  She again stepped up when the grandchildren were involved in 4-H with sheep and dogs.  She was ready to assist again for the great grandchildren in whatever their interest might turn out to be.

After her husband, Ed, was diagnosed with MS, Elsie volunteered for many years at TACID .  She also became his primary caregiver as the disease progressed.  When he became bed ridden and the family suggested he might need to go into assisted living, she had their house modified so  she was able to provide for his care at home until he passed away in 2002.

She loved animals, especially her dogs.  She got involved in raising, breeding and  showing collies and later beagles at AKC shows throughout the United States.  After her husband became ill and she was no longer able to travel to the shows, she started her volunteer work with the Tacoma Pierce County Humane Society by fostering and socializing litter after litter of shelter puppies.  The grandkids loved visiting as there was always puppies to play with at “Gran’s house.”

The family ravioli making parties were legendary.  The tradition was handed down from her mother together with the original rolling pins.  We would get together and make enough raviolis to have a feast at the end of the day and all who helped got to take raviolis home for future dinners.

Mom loved to be active and refused to slow down.  In her later years she was involved in certifying dogs as “companion dogs” and visiting the local nursing homes with either one of her dogs (or a borrowed dog) to cheer up the residents.   We were often in awe of her youthful spirit, volunteering well into her eighties. She also volunteered at  area schools with their different reading with dogs programs.

The people who survived her called her many things be it Mom, Grandma, or Noni - Elsie was the matriarch of our family and reigned with compassion, wisdom, and always a bit of spunk. She will be beyond missed by people too many and far reaching to measure, losing someone of Noni’s caliber is such a loss but sharing your life with them is of the greatest honor.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Conference at St. Martin of Tours Parish, Fife, Washington.