The Story of our Mother – Elsie Coburn

Three days after Christmas of 1939, in the tiny town of Winthrop nestled in the mountains of Washington State, Carl and Margorie Varner welcomed their first child, Elsie May Varner. Years later our stoic and introverted grandma made the comment that if she had not given birth to Mom at home, she would have sworn someone had switched babies with her. Guessing that, from the beginning Mom was full of energy, always smiling, talking at full volume, unapologetically loving, and unstoppable.

Mom loved talking about growing up on the farm. As children, if we complained about having to do chores, Mom would remind us that she and her younger brother, Orv, would move countless sprinkler pipes every morning before school and then again after dinner, without complaining. Mom loved spending time with her little sister, Linda, taking her to the lake to swim during the summer, and ice skate in the winter.

After high school, Elsie went to the Big City…. Seattle! She worked as a Key Puncher (Google it) and settled into city life. Then in 1962, while visiting her brother Orv at a Smoke Jumping Camp, she met Lary Bently. Lary proposed to her at the top of the Space Needle, and three weeks after that they were married and on their way to Anchorage Alaska where Lary worked as a smoke jumper. Later that year they moved to Boise just in time for their first daughter, Valerie, to be born. Seventeen months later, April came along. In between being a busy wife and mother, Elsie learned to sky dive, and made three jumps (or was it five?). She loved to shock people with that story…and that her last jump was when she was three months pregnant with April.

In 1965, Elsie’s happy life changed drastically. Suddenly she was a widow with two small children. But later in 1966, she saw Jack Coburn walking down the steps of the YMCA at a Single Parents Mixer, and on December 23rd, they were married and began their fifty-eight years together. With us two girls, Jack’s son, Mike, and daughter, Diane, we became the Coburn Family. Our baby brother Carl Byron was born six years later but passed away after only two days because of his premature birth. Though the pain of this loss never left her, Mom found comfort in being able to help others who had suffered the same kind of loss. Mom’s heart was as big as her smile, and her desire to help others was constant throughout her life.

After marrying Jack, Mom figured out that if she was going to spend time with him, she was going to have to start fishing and hunting... a lot. One of our favorite pictures of Mom is her holding onto the antlers of the first buck she shot, pride beaming from her accomplishment. It was that same set of antlers, spayed gold and mounted with black velvet, where she hung her necklaces for many years. Camping became a central part of our family summers, leaving us with many stories of our adventures, some of them scary, but most of them now make us laugh.

Saying that Mom rarely sat still is a severe understatement. She was always doing something and involved in everything, especially at church. So, when Parkview Bible Church decided to open a daycare, only one person’s name came up to be the Director… Elsie Coburn. Shepherd’s Fold was Mom’s “baby” for over seventeen years. Even now when we run into people who took their kids to the daycare, they talk about Elsie and her boundless energy and compassion. The term “Trouble Bubble” inevitably is brought up, and we have heard that several of these little pieces of papers revealing what naughtiness the child had been into that day, were securely placed in their baby books. We love hearing stories of how Mom touched so many lives with her dedication to the love and care of children.

Mom and Dad began looking for a place in the mountains and away from Boise where they would retire. One day, after a long day working at the daycare, Mom came home to see a bunch of polaroid pictures all over the kitchen counter. After looking at the pictures and hearing Jack’s description of the thirty acres and the views of the surrounding land and mountains, Mom frantically urged Dad to call and tell the owners they were very interested in buying the property. Turned out he had already put down earnest money, and the small farm in Midvale, Idaho, was theirs. Surrounded by her family, she saw the farm for the first time. The tears in her eyes, the smile on her face, as she said the words, “This is exactly what I dreamed of…” will be a memory we all remember. She was back in the country where she felt most at home. Jack and Elsie had found Coburn Country.

Retirement did not find Mom slowing down. She became very active in Cambridge Bible Church, teaching Sunday School and leading Awana’s. Outside of church, Elsie volunteered at the Midvale Library, substituted at the Midvale schools, wrote a column for the newspaper, and helped with countless community activities and events. But her most loved activity was hosting events at Coburn Country. Family, friends, church groups, and homeschool groups were frequent visitors. Her favorite guests were her grandchildren. Each child has very fond memories of staying at the farm, Grandma teaching them to cook and bake, Grandpa teaching them to fish, going to the swimming pool in the summer, and sledding down the driveway in the winter. When her house was full, her heart was full.

Later, during family gatherings, Mom would say, “Just think, I am responsible for all this!” So, to honor Mom, we will list all of those she is responsible for:

Valerie, April, Emily, Austin, Alex, BryAnne, Ashley, Dayne, Danica, Spencer, Zander, Jedidiah, Ezekiel, Luc, Daisy, Charlotte, Oliver, Nixon, Ava, Elliott, Collins, Grayson, and a great-granddaughter arriving in October.

Ten years ago, our bright and lively mother started to fade due to dementia. There were moments where her unique and amazing personality showed through. The love for her family, especially for her husband, never diminished. Dad had promised Mom they would stay on the farm, and he kept that promise until a few weeks before her death. Jack is a true example of the vows…” for better or for worse, in sickness and in health.” We will forever be grateful for his loving and tireless care of our mom.

On Saturday, May 3rd, with the sun shining in the window and the names of all who loved her filling the room, our mother, Elsie Coburn, entered heaven and into the arms of Jesus. We imagine her amazing smile, and the brightness of her eyes returning to her beautiful face. Then, she of course immediately started reorganizing heaven.

To remember and honor this special and amazing woman, we invite you to join us on Saturday, May 31st at 11:00 a.m. at the Cambridge Bible Church (470 Cemetery Rd.)

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