Geneva G. Elsensohn

9/22/1913 — 3/22/2017

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Geneva G. Elsensohn, 103, of Lewiston, passed away peacefully in her home Wednesday, March 22, 2017, at the end of a long and remarkable life.

Neva was born Sept. 22, 1913, to Nancy (Veal) Mills and William Watson Mills in Sunset, Wash. She spent her childhood years in Oakesdale, Wash., with three brothers and two sisters. She married Raymond Gill in 1929 and moved with Ray from town to town, following the logging camps in the area during the Great Depression. Life was a struggle in the '30s, and Neva taught herself to be a good seamstress and skilled gardener, making most of her daughter's clothes and canning the annual harvest. Ray eventually landed a job in Lewiston at the Potlatch mill, where Neva also found work during World War II when many of the men were off fighting the war. The marriage eventually ended in 1948.

She worked for a time following the divorce as a hostess at the Bollinger Hotel in Lewiston, where her personality and professional demeanor led to an offer for a position with a local physician, Dr. Donald McRoberts. Neva initially was quite nervous about the work, as she had no experience in the field, but the good doctor provided all of the on-the-job training she would need to keep her busy doing any number of medical procedures for the next 25 years.

In 1953, Neva met, fell in love with and married an ex-Navy man, Richard Elsensohn. The two settled in Clarkston and later moved to Lewiston in 1971. Rich worked at Lewiston Pre-Mix driving truck for many years, and the pair had a happy life together until his passing in 1991.

In her later years, Neva spent long hours with craft work that included rock and egg painting, among other hobbies. She loved to read and could be found most days with a book in her hand reading away. She loved to cook and eat sweet treats, and there always was something good on the kitchen counter for anyone who might stop in for a visit. Cooking got hard later on, but she would always light up when one grandchild or other would show up with a strawberry milkshake for her.

Neva is survived by three daughters, all of Lewiston: Jeannine Gibbs, Patti Davis and Barbara "Bobbi" Williams. She also is survived by nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren, along with numerous dear friends.

The family would like to express heartfelt thanks to Dr. Michael Baldeck and his staff, Family Hospice of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, and the attentive staff from Care Connection for their kind and compassionate services during Neva's final days.

A celebration of life gathering for Neva will be held for friends and family in April, the date and location to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Edward Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund at: Lewis-Clark State College Foundation, 500 Eighth Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501.

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