Elaine Ruth Slonaker moved her residence to heaven on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 after a faith-filled life of 83 years. She was born in Portland, Oregon on February 16, 1930 where she joined her parents, Clarence and Mary Elizabeth Newton, and her 2-year-old sister, Mary Ellen. Many of her fondest growing up memories involve summer trips to her grandparents' farm in the Hanford area and camping trips near rivers and lakes in Oregon where her father loved to fish. Elaine had a heart for music and her parents purchased a piano for her at a young age. She practiced faithfully. Her family was very active in the Nazarene Church where she played for her first church service at the age of 14 and continued playing for weekly church services and special events until just last fall at the serious onset of her illness.
Elaine met the love of her life, Wallin Slonaker, at Northwest Nazarene College when Wally needed a piano accompanist for his trumpet solo. This began a relationship in which she accompanied him for 62 years after their marriage on November 16, 1948 in Portland. They settled into the Slonaker family farmhouse on Clear Creek Road near the base of Kamiak Butte after their honeymoon and devoted their life to farming there, serving the Lord, and raising their four children.
Both Wally and Elaine were active members of the Palouse Church of the Nazarene, and then later of the Colfax Church of the Nazarene upon their move to Hill Ray Plaza in 1984 after 36 years on the farm. Elaine had a special passion for missionaries and she served many years leading the District Missionary Society of the Northwest District Church of the Nazarene. She had a gift for hospitality and often hosted missionaries, pastors, evangelists, music groups and friends in her home. The Slonakers traveled extensively abroad, helping to build or remodel churches, schools, or parsonages in places like Africa, Korea, Samoa, Israel, the Philippines and Mexico. They were also actively involved in Gideon International.
Elaine was very creative and was always making something with her hands. She was an excellent seamstress, but was better known for her award winning crotchet items that graced her home, her church, and her friends' homes. The Slonakers loved snowmobiling together until they began going to Yuma, Arizona for 17 consecutive winters. They have many dear friends from their involvement there in Senior Adult Ministries.
She is survived by her four children: Kathryn & Dennis Johnson of Eagle, ID, Fred & Karla Slonaker of Wenatchee, WA, Sheryl & Billy Sandros of San Diego, CA, and David & Jenae Slonaker of Eagle, ID; and 10 grandchildren: Dean, Carmen, Reid, Michelle, Jamie, Jaclyn, Hilary, Jeff, Kurt and Tyler. She was preceded in death by her parents; then her husband, Wally on July 9, 2010.
Viewing will be at the Colfax Bruning Funeral Home April 18-20 with a memorial service at 11:00 a.m. Monday, April 29 at Colfax Church of the Nazarene. In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in her memory and honor to the Northwest Nazarene University Wallin and Elaine Slonaker Scholarship fund, NNU, Office of University Advancement, 623 S. University Blvd, Nampa, ID 83686.