Avis Bernice DeLong, 97

Avis Bernice DeLong, longtime Flathead Valley resident, passed away Aug. 15, 2016, in Las Vegas at the home of her son James.

Avis was born March 27, 1919, in Tolt, Washington, to Forrest and Naomi (Gudge) McElhoe. She went to college in Bellingham, Washington, and became a school teacher.

Avis married Daniel C. DeLong July 17, 1942. During the war she taught school at Castle Rock, Washington. She saved her money and everything Dan sent home so that she and Dan would have money when Dan returned from the war. After the war they settled in Kalispell.

Avis taught junior high school in Kalispell for a year. After her son Larry started the first grade, Avis taught school again at Swan River, Bigfork and Lakeside. They raised purebred Black Angus in Bigfork and Creston for many years.

When Dan retired from farming and ranching, they became snowbirds for 25 years, spending the summers in the Kalispell area and winters in Arizona. They made many friends during those years. Avis was an excellent cook, knitted many sweaters, afghans, mittens, potholders and anything else you could imagine. She also knitted pictures and made her “churchgoing clothes.” Avis even knitted while fishing from a boat, and she usually caught more fish than Dan. Avis was a very good homemaker; she took care of two boys, husband, cooked meals, cleaned the house and graded school papers ‘til 9 o’clock. She then would drink a cup of tea and go to bed. She seemed to be doing something all of the time. Avis and Dan were avid gardeners and they canned and froze a lot of produce from their gardens.

Avis is survived by her two sons and their wives James (Carol) from Las Vegas, and Larry (Wendy) of Everett, Washington; two grandsons of Las Vegas (Charlie and Allen); and two sisters-in-law, Lillian McElhoe of Albany, Oregon, and Bernice McElhoe of Kenmore, Washington.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and three brothers, Harold, Forrest Jr. and Harry; and sister-in-law, Frances McElhoe.

There will be a visitation for Avis from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home Kalispell, with a graveside service to be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Kalispell.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the DeLong family.