February 16, 2016

Elaine Irish

On Feb. 3, 2016, Elaine Esther Irish, went to be with her Lord after a short battle with cancer. Elaine passed peacefully at her daughter’s home surrounded by those she loved. Elaine will be greatly missed by many as she had a loving heart and showed that love to all that came in contact with her.
Elaine was born Nov. 16, 1933, to William and Agnes (Carlson) Buzitis in Wenatchee, Washington.
Elaine had a memorable childhood growing up with her brothers, Leon and James and enjoyed her time spent riding bikes with her best friend, Joann (Short) Poirier. Elaine would often talk fondly of giving her younger brother Jim rides in her bicycle basket when he was a child.
While living with her family in Yakima Washington, Elaine met and married her first husband, Gerald (Jerry) Eugene Fenton on Aug. 17, 1952.
Shortly after their marriage, Elaine and Jerry moved to California while Jerry served four years in the Navy.
Upon Jerry’s exit from the Navy Elaine and Jerry moved back to Washington State where they were blessed by the birth of their adopted son, Daniel Joe. Daniel was later joined by an unofficial foster daughter Bonnie. Bonnie and later her husband Charles Lormis and their children Keri, Heidi and Ben, would become a very special and important part of Elaine’s life. Elaine enjoyed her spring breaks spent with Keri, Heidi and Ben and had many memories of their time together.
After the death of her husband Jerry, her father and her mother, Elaine began courting Carl Orville Irish, a man from her church that had befriended her son by attending his ball games and taking him out for Cokes. Elaine, Orville and Daniel became a family on April 26, 1975.
In the spring of 1978, Elaine and Orville received the blessed news that their family was going to grow by one as they were expecting the birth of their daughter, Melody Esther. Melody joined the happy trio in Nov. 1978.
Over the years, Elaine and Orville shared their love with many people they would ultimately call family. The Benjamin family; Larry, Sharon, Larry Jr., Shannon and Shawna would join the ranks of those “adopted” as family shortly after the Irish family moved to Kennewick in 1980. The Benjamin and Irish family’s spent a significant amount of time together over the years traveling the Western United States.
In the summer of 1994 Mendy was welcomed into the home as both a daughter and sister. During her early life as a young bride, Elaine worked at Boeing as a drafter and would later assist her husband Orville by driving with him on his sales routes.
While homeschooling their daughter Melody, Elaine opened an in home daycare that resulted in many long-term relationships with both children and parents alike.
In her later years, Elaine served as the primary caregiver for her husband, Orville, who fought a courageous fight against Alzheimer’s for many years.
Not long after Orville’s death in 2013, Elaine moved to North Dakota to be closer to her daughter Melody, her daughter's husband Gregg, and their daughter Shylee.
Elaine’s time in North Dakota was short, but was spent loving others and attending church events as she had her whole life.
Elaine is survived by her brothers, Leon (Betty) Buzitis and James (Gail) Buzitis; son, Daniel Fenton; daughter, Melody (Gregg) Schuetze; stepsons, James (Debbie) Irish and Terry (Carol) Irish; seven grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and many “adopted” sons, daughters and grandchildren she met along the path of life.
Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, William and Agness Buzitis; her husbands, Jerry Fenton and Orville Irish; granddaughter, Heather Irish and countless pets.
Elaine was remembered with a memorial service held at the Watford City Assembly of God chapel on Feb. 13, 2016, at 11 a.m. A funeral service will be held at the Kennewick Church of the Nazarene on Feb. 19, 2016, at 11 a.m. with a viewing at 10 a.m.
 

WATFORD CITY WEATHER