Elaine Dickman 02/26/1936 - 07/29/2022

Elaine grew up in Walla Walla, Washington.  Elaine's parents were Robert and Dorothy Rogers.  She had two younger brothers: David (Buck) and Myron Rogers.  Elaine graduated from WaHi.  After graduating from WaHi she planned to go to college and went to work at the Birds Eye Cannery to earn money for tuition.  Like many from the "Greatest Generation", everyone in the family had to contribute.  Elaine was an accomplished pianist, vocalist, and pastor's wife.  She loved the Lord with all her heart and supported the love of her life, Larry, throughout their 67 years of marriage.  Larry and Elaine had three sons; Jonathan (wife Christal), David and Michael; three grandchildren; Bryant, Erik, and Chrystal; and two great-grandchildren: Cayden and Carson.

One of Elaine's best kept secrets was her age.  No family member, and maybe not even her husband, really knew how old she was.  She was young at heart, spirited, did things her way, on her own time, and when she wanted. Elaine was a petite lady, 4'-11" and three-quarters.  And she would never let you forget the three-quarters.  She may have been short in stature, but she was tall and mighty in personality!

Elaine met her future husband through Ginger, her best friend.  Larry was her best friend's brother.  She was smitten with Larry.  Mom told us that he looked like Elvis with his wavy hair.  There was only one slight problem, Elaine's parents did not approve of Larry.  He was too much of a wild boy!  Larry went into the Navy at 17 years old.  When he came out of the military, he became a Bible preaching evangelist.  The transformation of Larry from wild child to believer won the approval of Elaine's parents.

After having her parents' blessings, Larry and Elaine soon traveled from Walla Walla to Stevenson, Washington to be married.  Shortly after returning to Walla Walla, they became associated with the Pentecostal church and moved to Toledo, Oregon as pastors.  Larry and Elaine were not in Oregon for very long.  They moved back to Walla Walla so that Larry could attend Bible school.

Larry and Elaine's faith was tested many times as newlyweds.  They never lost sight of Larry's calling to be a pastor.  We believe this hard life is what made Elaine so good at talking to the Lord.  She must have been the ultimate persuader.  Throughout her life she was known as the prayer warrior.  Friends and family would come to her and ask for her prayers.  Because her prayers got results!

Mom shared with us that they were living in the basement of a church.  Finances were tight and they were getting low on milk.  Elaine asked the Lord to help stretch what they had until they earned enough money to go to the store.  For seven days they had enough milk for breakfast, never once looking in the carton to see how much milk was left.  The day Elaine peeked into the carton they ran out of milk for the family.  But then the Lord gave them a miracle.  They had a knock on the door.  It was a delivery person from the grocery store.  He had food for them that had been phoned in.  In the bags was everything on her grocery list.  They never did find out who called in the order and how that person would have known what the family needed. In Elaine's eyes it was a miracle. Her prayers were answered.

Larry and Elaine began traveling up and down the Oregon and Washington coasts as evangelists.  Eventually they landed back in Walla Walla and then to Yakima where Larry took a job selling Lustercraft cookware.  He was a top performer and was selected for management training to open a new office in Spokane.  He was doing well in Spokane when one day his district manager's wife called to tell him that her husband had passed, and they were shutting down the office.  They had to scramble and look for another job.  They returned to Walla Walla once again where Larry went to work for the Singer sewing machine company.

While in Walla Walla, Elaine went to work for the telephone company as switchboard operator.  In those days, phone calls would come in on a flashing switchboard. The operator would answer, "How may I direct your call?" She would plug you into an open line and help you complete your call. You knew immediately when you got Elaine as your operator, because she had the most romantic and soothing telephone voice.  Years after leaving the phone company she would still answer the home phone with that sweet, smooth, and professional greeting that made you want to call back again and again just to hear her voice.

Dad's career with Singer took them back to Yakima and then to Boise, Idaho.  While living in Boise, the Singer corporation selected Larry to go into management training.  In 1961 Larry was sent to Richland to open a new Singer Sewing Machine store in the Uptown Shopping Center.

Elaine went to work for Mayfair markets in Richland as a cashier.  There, she only worked for a short time before deciding that her family needed her more than Mayfair did.  She left the grocery store to become a room mother at Marcus Whitman grade school.   Not only did she help in her kid's classes, but she was also known as the neighborhood mom.  Her home was always full of mommy love. Not that there wasn't a time or two where the dreaded phrase "Wait till your father gets home" reminded the kids that there were rules to be followed.  And if those rules were broken, be prepared for the consequences.

As her kids entered high school, Elaine decided to return to the workforce, joining GTE at the Phone-Mart. She knew her customers by name, and many of them would come to her to pay their bills in person so that they could have a little social time with the "phone lady." She loved the phone company and taking care of her customers totally made her day.

She liked camping, but only in a travel trailer or motorhome, no tents!  If we weren't camping, we were on our way to state parks, national parks, Saladmaster conventions or family reunions.  At family reunions she could name every aunt, uncle, cousin, first cousin, second cousin and third cousin twice removed.  She was a legit mother.  She never forgot anything!

There are so many great stories about Elaine that we would love to share. But we know that we will need to save it for another time and place.  For now, this is how we want to remember Larry's wife and our mother.  She was there to pray with you.  She was encouraging.  She listened.  She was private.  If you shared a secret, she never betrayed your trust.  She supported her husband and family with all her heart.  Family was everything.  She would always set an extra plate at the table because you never knew who might stop by.  The neighborhood kids also called her mom.  She gave the greatest neck rubs.  She was loving.  She was kind.  She was independent.  And most of all, she was 4'-11" and three-quarters and a powerhouse of a lady in high heels!

In closing, please help us remember Elaine in a couple of ways.  In lieu of flowers, donate to your favorite charity or family services. Stop, take a minute, and hug your family today and let them know how much you love them. Her favorite Bible verse was Psalms 23.  Read it before going to bed tonight.   Finally, if you want to celebrate Elaine's life with us, we will have a graveside gathering at Desert Lawn Memorial Park on August 04, 2022 at 10:00AM