HomeMy Public PortalAboutEld, BillWilliam T. Eld
DONNELLY — William T. Eld,
81, a second generation member of
one of Long Valley's pioneering
families and of Donnelly, died
Monday, July 31, 1989, at a McCall
care center, following a long illness.
Memorial services will be held at
2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4, at the Finn-
ish Lutheran Church. The Rev.
Tom Penry of Donnelly will offici-
ate.
He was born on April, 24, 1908, a
son of Tom and Maltida Eld at
their homestead cabin. This same
house would remain his home for
the remainder of his life in Long
Valley. Bill attended the Roseberry
Schools and as a young man
worked for the U.S. Forest Service
and for the Conservation Corps as
foreman on the French Creek Road
linking Burgdorf and Riggins. Bill
was particularily proud of his crew
that built this difficult project
with primitive equipment. Later he
took over management of the
family homestead ranch near Rose -
berry. Here he spent the rest of his
working life raising cattle and
farming. In 1956 and 1958, he won
the Idaho Grossman of the year
award for his pasture development
at the Roseberry ranch. On May 1,
1939, he married Nettie Gestrin.
Bill was active and popular par-
ticipant in the community life of
Long Valley. He was a charter
member of the Payette Lake
Benevolent and Protective Order of
the Elks. He was also a member of
both the Idaho and the National
Cattleman's Associations. He
served on the governing board of
the Roseberry Irrigation District
and on the McCall -Donnelly
School Board. Bill and Nettie, in
their later years, traveled exten-
sively both here and abroad. Bill
loved to dance and was still able to
do so, well into his illness.
Survivors include a son, Joe; a
daughter, Joice Eld Lappin, both
of Donnelly; a daughter, Niki Eld
Wilson of Boise; two grandchil-
dren, John Allgair of Tempe, Ariz.
and Marissa Wilson of Boise; a
brother, Ray Eld of Donnelly; two
step -sisters, Viola Goode of Don-
nelly and Edena Maki of Eagle;
and a step -brother, Rayno Wilson
of Portland, Ore. He was preceded
in death by his wife in 1981 and
also by his parents, a brother and a
sister.
The family suggests that me-
morials may be made to the Don-
nelly EMT'S, the Long Valley
Preservation Society, or the Alz-
heimer's Disease and Related Dis-
orders Association (ADRDA).
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Eld lives in house
where he was born
by Mark Haws
I would like to tell you about Bill
Eld, and how long he has lived
here.
Bill Eld has lived in Donnelly for
seventy-four years. He was born in
a one room house. If you go to his
house and walk onto his porch you
would be in the room where he was
born. He grew up in the house and
is still living in the same one. He
worked on the ranch that they own.
His father was a farmer and they
raised cattle and horses. He got
married in 1938 to a wonderful
lady.
In the winter time, back then,
you had to have a lot of supplies,
because you couldn't go to Boise or
Weiser because the roads were
closed. Also, the stores didn't have
many supplies during the winter.
Bi11 worked on a maintenance
crew and was getting paid $75.00 a
month, then went to road man's
boss and was getting $90.00 a
month. Bi11 and his crew built the
road from Burgdorf to Riggins
back in 1933.
Bill Eld has lived a very in-
teresting life.
Roseberry today.