Obituary - Ada E. Westendahl

Ada E. Westendahl, 86, Kendrick

Ada Ellen Westendahl, 86, of Kendrick, passed away Thursday, July 24, 2003, in Kendrick.

She was born May 20, 1917, in Cavendish to Gifford and Florence Candler. She grew up in the Teaken area, Kendrick, Lewiston and Clarkston.

On Aug. 3, 1935, she married Ben Westendahl. They lived briefly in Harvard and later moved to Kendrick, where they raised their family of five children.

Ada was active in many community activities in Kendrick through the years. She worked with the PTA and supported many school activities such as science fairs, spaghetti feeds, chaperoned school dances and supported school athletic events. She chaired March of Dimes fund-raisers for many years. Ada was a member of the Kendrick Grange and VFW Auxiliary NO. 3913 where shed held many offices. She chaired the Westendahl Memorial Scholarship Fund for 10 years before poor health forced her to give it up. The scholarship fund awarded many scholarships to Kendrick and Juliaetta students. She was a member of the Eagles Lodge in Lewiston for 14 years.

During World War II, she worked in Lewiston Grain Growers in Kendrick for two summers when manpower was scarce. Her job was to help unload grain trucks. She had to weigh the trucks, record the weight, then climb up a ladder to the top of the elevator, go down a catwalk to move the spout for the grain to run into the proper bin, as one load might be wheat and the next barley. She then climbed back down the ladder, emptied the truck, swept it out, weighed the empty truck and recorded the load. She returned to work for Lewiston Grain Growers in Kendrick 18 years later as a bookkeeper. S he worked for 20 years, retiring in 1982.

Ada was especially fond of children. She was a 4-H leader who enjoyed working with area youth. She enjoyed volunteering at the kindergarten in Juliaetta after her retirement.

She loved the garden and especially enjoyed growing roses. She enjoyed camping, fishing and sewing for her four daughters, and grandchildren. She and her longtime companion, Quentin Carlson, enjoyed going for afternoon drives in the beautiful countryside of Idaho and the great Northwest. She also enjoyed watching baseball and basketball games.

She is survived by her four daughters, Sheila Gustin of Harrison, Idaho, Cheryl Bain Boldt of Olympia, Jane Grosvenor of Vancouver, Wash., and Janet Edwards of Colbert, Wash.; one brother, Jim Candler of Kendrick; seven grandsons; one granddaughter; 11 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and her husband, Ben, she was preceded in death by six brothers, Archie, Gerald, Walter, Frank, Gilbert and Charlie; and two sisters, Zelma Jones and May Westendahl. Her son, Charles, died in an automobile accident in 1958. A granddaughter, Wendy Gustin, also preceded her in death.

The service is at 1 p.m. Monday at Malcom's Funeral Home in Lewiston.

Those who wish may make donations to the Kendrick Swim Pool Renovation at city hall in Kendrick.

Lewiston Tribune, July 27, 2003, p. 4C
Transcribed by Jill Leonard Nock