Elsie Rosalind Wilcox, age 94, of East Helena

Elsie R McCoskery Wilcox

The Lord was ready for this amazing, wonderful and beautiful woman to join his team of angels.  Mom left this world to join her family in heaven on Friday January 30, 2015.

Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 which is what eventually took her life.  She was doing exceptional well for her age, except for the last couple of months.

Mom was born in 1920 to Fred & Laura McCoskery.  She was supposed to be born on her brothers Woody’s birthday, June 8th, but fooled everybody when she arrived on April 1st.  What an April Fool’s Day prank that was.

Mom was born a preemie, weighing only two pounds.  Being so tiny they wrapped her in cotton to keep her warm.  As you know, they didn’t have incubators in those days.  Her parents took her home in a shoebox wrapped in the cotton.

Mom grew up in Helena, going to many schools.  She went to Bryant, Hawthorne, and Central, eventually moving out of town to nearby Canyon Ferry.

Mom always talked of when her and her brother, Woody, would ride their horses about 2 miles to school as young teenagers.  There was only one saddle and she said Woody got that and she rode bareback.  We asked her why he got the saddle and she would shake her head and laugh so we never did figure that one out.  The school is the same school that is in the Canyon Ferry Village today.  Mom met a friend there, Jo (Sheriff) Cope, who became a very special person in her life. Also attending that same school was Jo’s brother Van. Mom’s brother, Woody, and Van were the same age, two years older than Mom and Jo.  All have passed away.  She said there were only 9-10 students in the whole school.  There was only one teacher that taught 1st thru 8th grade.  Mom went through 6th grade before moving back to Helena, finishing grade school in town, at Hawthorne.

Mom’s freshman year (1935) she went to the newly built Helena High School.  One thing that stuck in her mind was the time she went to a pep rally in the auditorium on one particular Friday afternoon.  The place was full of students.  That evening, the earthquake of 1935 hit destroying everything in its path including the destruction of the high school.  She often looked back, and wondered what would have happened to all those students if that quake would have been a few hours earlier.

So, after that, all the students had to go to school in railroad coaches for the rest of that school year.  She said it was a very cold winter that year, and the coaches were very cold.

Mom graduated from High School in 1939.

Mom lived most of her life in the Helena area leaving only for a few years in 1941 to Dayton Ohio to join her husband-to-be, Don Wilcox, whom she married in May of 1942.  While in Ohio, Mom and Dad worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton.  Dad was an airplane mechanic and Mom was in the telegraph office for a short time, then working in the assembly line putting together carburetors.

To this union their only child was born, a son, me, Jim Wilcox, in 1943.  I was always the apple of her eye and she loved me with all her heart.  She had plenty of nicknames for me and my wife would always laugh because they were pretty interesting ones to say the least.  We moved back to Helena in 1945.  After returning, Mom went to work for 5 years at Mountain Bell, then on to The Teachers Retirement.  She always joked about going to work for just a short time to help with bills and such but ended up retiring 30 years later in 1980.  After retiring Mom and Dad became snowbirds traveling for the next 10 years and wintering in Yuma Arizona. Mom was a 50 year member of Miriam Chapter #1 Order of Eastern Star in Helena.

Mom and Dad lived in Helena until 1993, when they moved to East Helena, where they were together until Dad’s death in 2001.  Dad died 3 days after their 59^th wedding anniversary.   Mom continued to live alone with the help of my wife Sally for the next 14 years until recently moving in with us.  Sally was Mom’s main caregiver and did whatever she could to make Moms life easier while she lived alone and when she was living with us.  She followed Sally around no matter where.  Even in the Kitchen.  Sally would turn around to get something and almost knock Mom over.  We had lots of laugh over this.  They were pretty much hooked at the hip.  Mom was a great lady with an awesome sense of humor, and the most additive laugh, one we will never forget. Mom loved to read more than anything until she was diagnosed with Macular.  So to compromise we got her talking books and she was able to sit and listen to them, which she did for many years.  We were never sure later on in her life, if she even understood the stories but it didn’t matter, she enjoyed them so much.

Mom will be forever and ever in our hearts.  We love you Mom and will miss you so very much.

She was preceded in death by her husband Don; parents Fred and Laura McCoskery; her brother Woodrow McCoskery and his wife Ruth; great-nephew Brian Norman ; step great grandchildren Aiden and Gavin Russell.  She is survived by her son Jim (Sally); her only grandson  Monte (Susan) whom she cherished; her step-grandson and his family Rob Russell (Emily), Brooklyn, Braden and Brityn; her nephews Bob (Jeanie) McCoskery of Missoula; Dave (Jan) McCoskery of Billings; her nieces Linda (Jay) Norman of Shoreview MN, and Mary Kay (Jerry) Rowles of Spokane, WA.

We would like to thank Hospice of St Peters, for their terrific support and guidance. For all that they have done for us, as well as Mom, and with such tender loving care.

What a fantastic organization.   We would like to thank Randy Wilke and staff for your thoughtfulness and kindness at this difficult time.  We would like to thank Mom’s neighbors, Sharon Warn for always being there to help with Mom when we were not around.  Also, Tom Mendyke, for years, putting up Christmas lights around her house for the holidays.  Her neighbors, and our friends were all so great about watching out for Mom after Dad passed away, whether we were out of town or not.  And last but not least, our very dear friend Karen Houston who help us with Mom this past year and did so with such a loving heart.  Her favorite thing was bringing a smile to Mom’s face and making her laugh, which was never a problem for Karen.   We are very grateful to all our friends for their support, whether it was a visit, a phone call and/or a prayer.  May God richly bless each and every one of you.  In lieu of flowers please make donations to Hospice of St. Peter’s Hospital c/o St. Peter’s Hospital, 2475 Broadway, Helena, MT 59601 the Lewis & Clark Humane Society, P.O. Box 4455, Helena, MT 59604, or the donor of your choice.

A social gathering remembering Elsie will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 28, 2015 in the social center of the Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Avenue. A reception will follow in the social center. Interment will be at Forestvale Cemetery approximately 1:00 p.m. To offer a condolence to the family or share a memory of Elsie please visit below.

Service Schedule

Celebration of Her Life

11:00 a.m.

Saturday March 28, 2015

Social Center of Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N. Montana Avenue

Helena, Montana 59602

View map

Reception

Immediately following the Sharing

Saturday March 28, 2015

Social Center of the funeral home

,

View map

Burial

Approximately 1:00 p.m.

Saturday March 28, 2015

Forestvale Cemetery

Forestvale Road

Helena, Montana 59602

View map

Share

Send flowers

Please visit the floral shop page for assistance in choosing a local florist.

Photo Gallery

No photos have been submitted yet.
Click here to share yours.