Nellie Ellen Schrock

Nellie Ellen Schrock (Age 80) was born March 13, 1938 in the town of Grand Coulee Dam, Washington to Vernon and Lila (Hill) Haase. Vernon was working as a blacksmith to help build Grand Coulee Dam during the depression. The family moved to Hartline in 1939. Nellie claimed to have lived in Hartline the longest of anyone still there—about 78 years!

In 1957, she married James H. Schrock. Her late father recalled that when she came home from her first day of first grade, she was asked if she had a boyfriend and who he was. She shyly answered, “Jimmy Schrock”. She was taught to work hard by her parents. As kids, she and her brothers helped hand-dig a basement under their house and they helped with all the chores. Her older brother Vernon tells of a side job their Dad got, when Nellie was in 6th grade, to sharpen chisels for a contractor working on Chief Joseph Dam. Nellie ran the forge; younger brother Roy, the blower and Vernon Jr. did the sledgehammer work. They did that work for 4 or 5 years. Their record was 300 chisels in one night. Mom was Valedictorian of her Hartline High School Class. She loved playing on the basketball team and even played on the local woman’s team after getting married. Before getting married, she also worked at the cemetery and for Carl Ingram at his grain elevator. After marrying Jim, the real work of her life started—raising a family with five children. When she passed away on February 3rd she is finally getting the rest she deserves. Mom was always working and recruiting us kids to help as our ages, height and abilities allowed. She gardened, canned and froze food. She cooked tens of thousands of meals for family, friends, children and harvest crews, darned baskets of socks and sewed for the family. She used a wringer wash machine into the ‘80’s and hung up miles of clothes on the clotheslines. Farmers are famous for weeds and she probably picked millions of cheatgrass stickers out of our work socks and pants. She couldn’t cook fast enough to feed us when she made pancakes, donuts or grilled cheese sandwiches. When we were kids, almost every week she would butcher a chicken or two for dinner. We also raised turkeys, chickens and rabbits in Hartline that she supervised the care of.

Nellie was a great community member. She was a 4-H leader and supported her sons in Boy Scouts. She went to hundreds of weddings, funerals, community and school events and graduations. In her younger years the Haase family were Grange members. And yes--she always loved a good Tupperware party!

As her brood eventually left the nest, she increased the time spent on other interests. Her beloved Highlighter Art Club participation started in about 1979 when her daughters signed her up for a painting class to get her out of the house for a few Saturdays. They were surprised when she came home the first day with a painting! Mom was soon hooked on painting and was a very active member for over 35 years, making good friends over the decades. She also enjoyed help organize their art shows and fund raisers in Coulee City.

Other interests were Hartline history and genealogy. Doing deep research of both sides of the family, she identified at least 1,000 relatives and ancestors, well before the days of inexpensive DNA services.

Family vacations usually involved visits with some of those 1,000 relatives who were still with us. Sorry 5th Cousins…she never met you!

Nellie and Jim enjoyed going with son Jeff to join their friends and farm neighbors, the O’Neils on parts of an annual trail ride. They’d usually try and include some grandkids and spend a night at camp on the trail with the horseriders. For many years the Schrocks joined the O’Neils and others at their farm for an annual hog butchering that would involve up to a dozen pigs and 20 or so people. Mom always enjoyed hanging with her friend Joan O’Neil during that time.

Grandkids also remember staying at Grandma and Grandpa’s when they were young and always had stories to bring home.

They also enjoyed going to a large annual picnic in Usk, Wa at the home and farm of Herbert and Lois Pease. They were great friends and family of the Schrocks since at least the 1950’s.

Also, a few years ago Nellie and Jim got their turn riding in the convertible when they were the Grand Marshals of the annual parade at Hartline Days.

Son Jeff Schrock gets a special gold star for farming with Mom and Dad since he was at least 10 years old. And Mom gets two gold stars for feeding him for 55 years. Jeff later cooked for her as her health declined.

Nellie passed away at Riverview Care Center in Spokane after a long illness. The family would like to thank the staff for her care.

She was recently preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, James H. Schrock.

Besides many friends and relatives, she is survived by

Her children:

James L. Schrock, Jeanette Coppersmith (John), Jeff Schrock, JoAnn Eagle (Mike) and Jeri Haley

Grandchildren:

Savanna Schrock, Jason (Stephanie) Coppersmith, Jeremy Coppersmith, Jared (Courtney) Eagle, Michon Eagle, Brandon (Laura) Haley, Alex Haley and Zane Haley.

Great-Grandchildren:

Lukas, Lexi, Landon and Lauren Coppersmith, Aubrey and Avery Eagle

Graveside services will be held at 12:00 Noon, Saturday, February 9, 2019 at Hartline Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will follow at 1:00 PM at The Hartline School Gym.

Memorials to the Hartline Fire Department and Hartline Cemetery and Historic Hartline School.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.strate funeralhome.com for the Schrock family. STRATE FUNERAL HOME, Davenport is serving the family.