Elijah was born on July 27, 1942 in Bismarck, North Dakota. He grew up on a large farm near Regan, ND with his loving family and maternal grandparents. He graduated with a Masters Degree in Art Education from the University of ND. Later in life he went back to fulfill requirements for a fifth year teaching degree at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC.
Elijah was a talented and gifted artist in his ability to draw, paint, carve in wood or marble. He collected precious gems from his extensive travels throughout North America and created wonderful jewelry. Elijah was the head of the Art Department at one of the colleges he taught at and successfully installed the first art gallery there. He worked hard collecting donations of art from artists all over North America for display in this new gallery.
Elijah loved to travel on road trips through North America, not only in his quest to find precious gems, wood or marble but also to visit places which he felt connected to in nature. He visited these places to fulfill the aspects of his spiritual soul gaining much needed strength from these experiences. This need happened early in his life as he knew that a First Nation of ND had left a huge circle of friendship rocks on the farm he grew up. This was the first knowledge for him that others had been on that land long before the farmhouse was constructed and to him, this was a sacred place.
He came to Canada in 1970 and later became a Canadian citizen living on Denman Island, North Vancouver and in the Comox Valley.
Life presented him with many health challenges and issues which caused him to severely decline over a period of many years.
Elijah was predeceased by his parents, Einard and Lenora (nee Hedstrom), his older brothers, Donald and Laveryl, younger sister Janice Spivey and his maternal grandparents, Harry and Sophia Hedstrom whom he grew up with.
He is survived by his daughter Ursula Gustafson (Brian), and his son Eli Juhala, grandchildren, Anthony Chavez (Cierrah), Nicole Chavez, Kaitlyn Gustafson, and Avery Ross, nephew Andrew Marko, niece Ruth Whitehead, grand nephew Brandon Whitehead and ex-spouses, Marion and Lilia.
Elijah will be missed in this life by people who loved him and those he loved and knew. We cherish our memories of him in our hearts forever.
Donations in Elijah's name to BC Alzheimer's Society or to a local Fine Arts program like the North Island College Fine Arts Program in the Comox Valley
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