Louella June Noyes

LOUELLA JUNE NOYES Funeral services for longtime area resident Louella Noyes will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 16 at the Ertel Memorial Chapel. Chaplain Marvin Graves will be officiating. Louella will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband, Marvin, at Cortez Cemetery following the services. Visitation has been set for Saturday morning from 10 a.m. until Noon at Ertel Chapel. Louella June Noyes was born June 30, 1925 at Hermosa Colorado just north of Durango. She passed away at her home on June 11, 2012 at the age of 86. She was preceded in death by Marvin Noyes, her husband of 71 years. Louella was the second child of Floyd and Ruby Eldridge. Being the oldest girl she learned at a very young age how to cook and sew as well as tend to her younger siblings. Even as adults, her brother and sisters expressed how good of a big sister she always was to them. The homemaking skills she learned early in life she used throughout her life and passed on to her children and even the grandchildren. Family and friends all can remember the tasty meals Louella cooked, and of course the homemade bread that was the very best. Homemade butter and home canned peaches that were a staple on the table were an added treat too. Even if you dropped in unexpectedly, Louella always asked if you had eaten yet and would ask if she could she fix you something. She made sure her children always had food on the table at mealtime. Others probably remember all of the deserts that she made. Once we had angel food cake over and over until she got a recipe that she was happy with and that would be suitable for a large 3-tier wedding cake she made for one of her sons which turned out great. Since her husband loved deserts so much she baked constantly and at times he had more than one desert in his lunch box at work. Canned goods were also something that she was very proficient at. If anyone had empty jars to give away she always accepted them with pleasure and tried each year to fill everything she had available. Quite often she gave away her recently canned jelly or other specialty from that year's bounty when there was more than she needed. Louella also enjoyed sewing. Besides sewing for the immediate family she also sewed for others in the community. It is hard to say how many western shirts she sewed in her lifetime. She finally had to stop sewing so much for these friends because her family was growing with grandchildren that she started to sew for. There also was a time she sewed quite a few doll clothes, many of which she made for her daughter's doll. That was an ongoing delight for her. Also so many quilts were made by Louella, of which most of them were given away. One of her goals was to help each one of her grandchildren, both girls and boys, make a quilt they could keep for their own. Other quilts she gave to the homeless shelter, also she and Marvin sent some out of state to flood victim as well as others in need. When she decided to get an estimate of how many she had made they counted approximately 550 quilts and we are quite sure there were some that were missed in this count. Louella was raised in the Picnic Flat area, about 12 miles southeast of Breen, Colorado. Her desire was to become a school teacher but she met Marvin, her future husband at a dance, at this same school and two years later they were married in Aztec, New Mexico on October 8, 1940. To this union seven children were born, Evelyn June Noyes of the family home of Lebanon; Eldon (Betty) Noyes of Lebanon; Oliver (Mary Ann) Noyes of Cortez; Lory (Sandie) Noyes of Fruita, Colo.; Darlene (Ed) Barber of Flora Vista, NM; Dan (Sheri) Noyes of Lebanon; and Lavona (Bob) Hansen of Lebanon. In 1959 Louella was baptized into the Church of Christ and continued the beliefs she was raised with. For several years Louella had a vitamin business so she met many new people through that. She enjoyed visiting with any and all that came by. The family gatherings were a treat for her and she encouraged get-togethers as often as possible. Many of those "picnics" were at their Cherry Creek property where they lived prior to moving to their home in the Lebanon area in 1956 where they lived for 56 years. Besides Marvin, her husband, Louella is preceded in death by her parents; Floyd and Ruby Eldridge, two brothers; Infant son Eldridge, Robert Eldridge and one sister; Grace Holloway. Two granddaughters, Debbie (Noyes) Mosher and Cristal Noyes preceded Louella as well. Louella is survived by three sisters, Inez Brooks, Lila (Pat) Greer, and Alma (Burr) Greer and two sisters-in-law Marvel Eldridge and Beverly Noyes. Also surviving her are her seven children and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She will be truly missed by so many friends and family far and near. Memorial contributions can be made in memory of Louella Noyes to the Lewis Arriola Community Center.