Elenore I. Pratt, 90

Elenore Irene Pratt, 90, went to heaven peacefully on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, surrounded by her family in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, at Hospice of North Idaho. She was a lifelong North Idaho native, born April 19, 1932, in Gem, Idaho, at home to Violet Pearl and Everett Ralph Walker, who preceded her in death. She was the sixth of 18 children born to them. She was raised in Gem, attending Burke School and Wallace High School. Elenore delivered papers up Burke Canyon as a kid and worked as a waitress most of her life. She also worked for Rainier Brewing in Coeur d'Alene, Coeur d'Alene Mining Company and was a longtime waitress at both Gloria’s Steakhouse and Tony’s Supper Club. She worked from the time she was a small child until she finally retired at the age of 73. She was a constant at the Owl Cafe, where she went for coffee every day until the day it closed. There was absolutely no quit in her throughout her life.

She married her lifelong husband, Gordon Blaine Pratt, in 1950 in Superior, Mont. They had three children: Gordon, Howard and Sheila, whom they raised primarily in Wallace. They moved to various locations around the country while her husband worked in mining and road construction, while she waited tables, before finally settling in Hayden, Idaho, in 1975, where her door was always open to anyone.

Elenore was a devoted mother, grandmother, aunt and sister to her entire family. She was the oldest surviving girl of her siblings and took great pride in caring for, advising and helping out any of her family that was ever in need. Her love for her family had no limits, but she expressed it with quiet modesty and grace. Everything was always "fine" no matter how massive of a problem — even walking around for years in her late 70s with a broken back from falling off a ladder. She was truly remarkable.

Elenore was preceded in death by her mother, Violet; father Everett; sisters Gertrude, Lorraine, Violet Carrico, Joanne Ross, Donna Lee Randall, Geraldine Ellisoff, Katherine Stewart and Barbara Jean; brothers Norman, Leonard, Dwayne, Harold, Everett Jr., Jerry, Robert "Bobby" and Marvin Walker; also several nieces and nephews; her husband, Gordon Pratt Sr.; and son Howard Wayne "Beak" Pratt.

She was survived by her sister, Beverly Cornell of Boise, Idaho; her son, Gordon (Janice) Pratt Jr. of Winnemucca, Nev.; daughter, Sheila Pratt of Hayden, Idaho; her grandchildren: David (Eva) Pratt of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Stacey Larsen of Yerington, Nev., Trish Leney of Lawton, Okla., Jeffrey Pratt of Yerington, Nev., Bryan (Ashley) Pratt of Post Falls, Idaho. Elenore is survived by 15 great-grandchildren: Matthew, Johnny, Kyleen, Christian, Telsha, Kayleigh, Kendall, Logan, Landon, McKenna, Jaedynn, Logan, Lane, Noah and Aspen; eight great-great-grandchildren: Isabella, Hunter, Adeline, Lailla, Marcelo, Adrian, Kyla and Jace; her brother-in-law, Donald Randall; sisters-in-law Sonja Walker, Condee Walker, Linda Walker and Shiralee Pratt; also many, many, beloved nieces and nephews that were very near and dear to her heart.

She was an optimistic light in our giant family for generations. Her wisdom, life lessons and strong devotion to family will remain with us all for generations to come. She was a strong pillar to us all and will forever remain in our hearts and memories. May she rest in peace.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023, at Yates Funeral Home — Hayden Chapel, 373 E. Hayden Ave., Hayden, Idaho. There will be a viewing from 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2023, at Yates Funeral home in Hayden as well. Please visit Elenore’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.