Marie "Eloise" Holt Goodwin

Guy and Winnifred (Lindell) Holt welcomed their baby Eloise on June 16, 1929 at Spokane. Eloise passed away on Nov. 30, 2017 at her home.

The family home was near Four Lakes where Eloise lived for 18 years. Eloise started school at Marshall for three years, then because of boundary changes, grades 4-8 were completed at Four Lakes. She attended Cheney Junior High and Cheney High School graduating in 1947 as valedictorian of her class.

During high school, she worked on the "Blackhawk" newsletter and the "Pine Cone" yearbook and was on the drill team. On June 19, 1947 Eloise had found her one true love and married James Howard Goodwin. Eloise and Jim raised three boys, Richard Sidney, Frederick James and Roger Lee on their farm on Mullinix Road.

Eloise worked as a secretary for the Cheney School District and Eastern Washington University Campus School for 25 years. After getting an RV, they joined the National Camping Travelers group, camping throughout the Inland Empire for 20 years.

Eloise's first airplane ride was to Germany to see her first grandchild, Richard Jr. Other trips were with Alpha Omega bus tours to many places in the Western United States. On their 25th and 60th anniversaries the "dream trips" were to Hawaii.

Eloise joined the Juvenile Grange at Four Lakes and continued membership in the Grange at Amber, and later Tyler, for over 70 years. She was a 7th Degree member of the Grange. She and Jim became members of Martha Chapter, Order of Eastern Star, in 1965. She held many offices becoming Worthy Matron in 1981 and again in 1991. She was appointed a Grand Representative to New Mexico from 1994-96. She received her 50-Year Eastern Star membership pin in December 2016.

She was confirmed in Cheney Emmanuel Lutheran Church in 1953 and reconfirmed in 2014. She was a past Guardian of Job's Daughters. Eloise enjoyed playing music at Four Lakes Church, Four Lakes Grange, National Camping Travelers and Eastern Star using keyboard, piano or accordion. Other hobbies included reading historical novels and paperback books, gardening, sewing, crocheting afghans, hats, baby sweaters, quilting and other hand crafts from plastic canvas. Family history was an ongoing project.

Eloise is survived by: son Richard (Carrie); daughter-in-law Marguerite Goodwin; 11 grandchildren – Richard Jr., Kristina (Garnett), Chad, Keith, James, and Emily (Parmer), Jason Gurgel, Matthew Gurgel, Jolene Ford, Jesse Gurgel and Danelle McLachlan; 24 great-grandchildren; six great great-grandchildren; sister Jayneta (Jim) Butler; sister-in-law Maxine Holt and sister-in-law Florence Harris.

She was preceeded in death by: husband James; sons Frederick and Roger; brother Donald Holt; and great grand-daughter Elizabeth Goodwin.

A graveside service will be held, Dec. 9, 12:30 p.m. at the Marshall Cemetery. A celebration of life will follow at 2 p.m. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Cheney. Donations can be made to the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 639 Elm St., Cheney, WA 99004 or any charity of your choice.

Cheney Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements. Visit her online guestbook at cheneyfuneral.com.