OBITUARY: Elva Luther Madden Crafton

Elva Louise Luther was born April 20, 1937, to Raymond E. and Mary F. Cooper Luther in Fossil, Oregon. Her paternal grandmother, Mary F. (May) Luther attended her birth as mid-wife. She was also welcomed by 12-year-old brother Robert R. (Bob). Elva was named for her maternal grandmother, Clarissa Elva Gribble Cooper who had died when Mary was just 5 years old. Elva passed away peacefully on December 14, 2024, at Regency Village Assisted Living Facility in Prineville, Oregon, surrounded by her three daughters.

In school, Elva excelled at academics and music. With her long hands and fingers, she mastered the piano and played saxophone in the school band. Singing at church and in the choir at school were also favorite past times. As a talented young musician, she accompanied the Wheeler County High School Choir. While the high school students wore official uniforms, she wore a black skirt and white blouse. Upon winning a competition in La Grande, the judge told her that she earned her uniform and was surprised when she revealed that she wasn’t allowed to wear a uniform because she was only an 8th grader.

With a desire to have her own grown-up adventures out of her parents’ home, Elva married at 16 and gave birth to her only son James Arthur Nelson just 10 days after her 17th birthday. The marriage ended and Jim was raised by his paternal grandparents as Elva returned to finish high school, which she did her last two years in one year’s time achieving salutatorian status in her graduating class.

She married Curtis L. Madden from Kinzua in Stevenson, Washington on June 22, 1957. They lived and worked in Portland for a little over a year where they welcomed their first-born daughter, Brenda Sue in May 1958. City life was not the life they wanted for their growing family, so they moved back to Fossil where Curt resumed work at the Kinzua mill and Elva was a stay-at-home wife and mother. They welcomed two more daughters, Linda Louise in 1959 and Glenda Lea in 1964.

With the help of Elva’s dad, they purchased the former King house across the street from the Fossil grade school where they worked hard to renovate, improve upon and make a home. They resided there for over 35 years.

During those years of raising kids, working hard and enjoying activities of camping, fishing, sewing, reading and crocheting among others, Elva was employed by the Wheeler County, OSU Extension Service in 1969, first as secretary, then as 4-H program assistant and then finally as 4-H Youth and Home Economics Extension Agent, and taking on the duty as county staff chair upon the retirement of good friend and mentor, Ken Killingsworth. Elva, Ken and secretary, Patsy Hoover were a successful team who made a great impact on adults and youth in the county for nearly 30 years. Elva enjoyed her work with the 4-H program, especially mentoring leaders and involvement in the annual tri-county 4-H camp at Cutsforth Park. Later, her work with youth encompassed serving on the Wheeler County Commission on Children and Families and developing parent/child programs for young parents with infants to age three.

Following her own retirement, Elva and Curtis enjoyed several years of traveling, camping, fishing and spending time with kids and grandkids. Curtis passed away on December 17, 2004. Elva prepared for a new chapter of her life by selling the family home and moving to Prineville in January 2006.

She quickly became involved in several organizations including the Crook County Quilt Guild, Eastern Star, AARP Tax Preparation, Crook County Fair, Habitat for Humanity, Holiday Partnership, and the Prineville Presbyterian Church, among others.

She developed many deep friendships and enjoyed countless hours of volunteerism, learning new skills and quilting techniques, traveling with friends and helping her fellow neighbors. She reacquainted with many friends who had moved to Prineville over the years, especially during the late 70s and early 80s following the closure of the Kinzua mill. She felt very at home in the Prineville community.

It was during this time that she and Jerry Crafton, who was also recently widowed upon the passing of his wife, June, reconnected years after attending school together in Fossil. They married in July 2011 before their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, family and friends. They enjoyed traveling and each other’s company until Jerry’s death in December 2014.

Following Jerry’s death, Elva continued her involvement with the Quilt Guild, Holiday Partnership and found new activities playing Pinochle, Hand and Foot and other games and activities. Always looking for ways to help others, especially young children and those journeying through unstable housing, adversity or cancer, Elva made contributions to Crook County’s early homeless shelters, supported

Mountain Star Family Relief Nursery and actively participated in the Chemo Quilt project with the Guild.

More than anything, Elva was proud of her family and cherished time with her girls. She was over the moon when grandchildren, Heather, Chris, Jared, Travis and Elizabeth arrived on the scene. Many hours were spent learning new skills (pie baking, sewing, crafting and game playing) as well as camping, hiking, finding seashells on the beach and pinecones in the mountains.

Elva moved to Regency Village Prineville in October 2024 where she looked forward to activities and socializing. However, her health declined faster than she or her family were prepared. Elva passed peacefully on Saturday, December 14, 2024 surrounded by her daughters and the loving caregivers at Regency.

She is survived by daughters Brenda Comini, Prineville; Linda Miller and Glenda (Ward) Lantis, Bend; and son Jim (Brenda) Nelson, Crooked River Ranch. Also survived by grandchildren, Heather (Jeff) Young, Tennessee; Chris Nelson, Crooked River Ranch; Jared (Pam) Comini, Orofino, ID; Travis (Lynnel) Comini, Redmond; and Elizabeth Lantis, Bend; and great-grandchildren Mason and Lucas Young; Adley and Landon Comini; and Raelynn, Reese and Cohen Comini. Also, by niece Sandy (Bill) Johnson, John Day and nephew Jerry Luther, Fossil. As well as her bonus family, Jerry Dale and Karma Crafton, Prineville; John and Michelle Crafton, Spray; Joe and Linda Crafton, McMinnville; James and Jill Crafton, Redmond; and Jason and Nicki Crafton, Prineville. Along with their numerous children and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Mary Luther; her parents-in-law, Jack and Helen Madden; son-in-law Nick Miller; brother Bob and sister-in-law MayDean Luther; sister-in-law Phyllis and brother-in-law Gene Cole and niece-in-law Deloris Luther and grand-nephew Robert Earl Luther. As well as by husbands, Curtis Madden and Jerry Crafton.

In lieu of flowers, charitable contributions may be made to Partners in Care Hospice, 2075 NE Wyatt Ct., Bend, OR 97701; or Mountain Star Family Relief Nursery, 2125 NE Daggett Lane, Bend, OR 97701.

A memorial celebration of life will be held at the Prineville Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 4 at 11 am.