Elva Sabina Douglas

Elva Sabina Hodgson Frans Cossairt Douglas (102) passed away at her home in Bonners Ferry, Idaho on August 11, 2010. Services will be held on September 10, 2010 at 2:00 pm in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, Private interment was held in the Grandview Cemetery, Bonners Ferry, Idaho Elva Sabina Hodgson was born to Delwin and Minnie Belle Hodgson on May 10, 1908 on her parent’s farm near Orient, WA. She died at her home in Bonners Ferry August 11, 2010. She was the seventh child in a family of eight. She attended school a mile and half from her home completing nine years of formal schooling. She married Leslie Frans in August of 1927. Their first home was near Boyds, WA. They later lived in Marcus, WA and then they moved to the Naples, Idaho area with their five children in 1935. There they lost their youngest child to spinal meningitis before penicillin was available. They then moved to Highland Flats and two more children were born. In December 1948 after they lost their home to fire they moved to Bonners Ferry where Leslie was employed at the Thompson Lumber Company. Their last child was born in March of 1953. Leslie died in 1958 after a three year illness, leaving Elva with 3 children still at home. In 1962 she married Cecil Cossairt gaining seven step children three of whom were still at home. She moved to Highland Flats to his home. Tragically Cecil was killed in a tractor accident only four months after they were married. She moved back to her Bonners Ferry home and Cecil’s thr ee youngest children came with her along with Carole, her youngest. Fifteen years later Elva was living an active life taking part in the activities of the senior citizen organization when Ted Douglas began to court her. They married in 1978 and another step daughter was added to her family. They had 22 years together at Ted’s death in November of 1999. Elva always raised a large vegetable garden to feed her family but she loved her flowers the best and was still working in her flower beds until she was 99 years old. One of her other loves was her chickens and she always had a small flock of them to provide eggs but she enjoyed taking care of them and just being among them. Elva enjoyed music. She loved to dance and she sang in various groups and sang in the Trinity Lutheran Church Choir until she was 97. She was preceded in death by all seven siblings, her three husbands, Leslie Frans, Cecil Cossairt, and Ted Douglas, two daughters Geraldine Frans and Joyce McCalmant and one granddaughter, Billie Jean Hubbell. Elva is survived by sons William (Bill) Frans, Wayne Frans, Floyd Frans and wife, Margaret; daughters, Glenda McCalmant and husband Tad, Lynda Cossairt and husband Art, and Carole Dinning and husband, Merle. She is also survived by 21 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren, 25 great, great grandchildren and 1 great, great, great grandchild and also her 8 step children, step grand , great grand and great, great grandchildren. Memorials may be given to Trinity Lutheran Church or the Senior Hospitality Center. Family and friends are invited to sign Elva’s book at www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com Arrangement are entrusted to the care of Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.