Elaine A. Rawlinson

June 15, 1924-July 5, 2013

Elaine M. Andersen was born on June 15, 1924 at Monroe, Utah, the daughter of Ernest Andersen and Elna Andersen. Her mother was from Denmark, and her father from Monroe. Elaine was the oldest of six children. She went to Snow College and worked for the Internal Revenue Service in Salt Lake City, where she met her future husband, Joseph E. Rawlinson.

Joseph E. Rawlinson was an Internal Revenue Agent. He was transferred to Los Angeles, California, and he and Elaine were married in 1947. Joseph subsequently went into private practice as a CPA and later became an attorney after four years of night school. He had three children from a prior marriage: Jim, Jolene, and Nancy, and he and Elaine had six children together: Rex, Anina, Cheryl, Mark, Lisa, and David. Joseph was a director of Hilton-Burns Hotels Corporation, and President of Fritz B. Burns Foundation for over thirty years.

Elaine and Joseph were frugal and had a vegetable garden and year’s supply of food, as recommended by their church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Elaine loved to can, made homemade bread, and cooked for multiple dinner guests, such as the Mormon missionaries, family from out of town, and many friends. The couple loved to dance, and typically went out dancing every week, whether it was Square Dancing, Ballroom Dancing, Hawaiian Dancing, Folk Dancing, or Rock ‘n Roll.

Elaine and Joseph often traveled in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and particularly enjoyed going to Hawaii. They liked to camp out and hike, and made a week-long trip down the Colorado River rapids. They were involved in an Orange Ranch and apartment rentals, but as they grew older most of their trips were to see family and their increasing number of grandchildren.

Elaine was industrious, helped her husband at work, and ran his home. She never lacked something to do, but liked to make braided rugs, quilting, Hawaiian quilting, crochet, broomstick crochet, counted cross-stitch embroidery, and oil painting. She was active in her church, for which she performed many functions.

Elaine was a friendly and hospitable person, and had an open house, with a constant procession of visitors and guests. Both she and her husband were philanthropists, but Joseph and Elaine’s most precious gifts were of their time, which they gave freely to those in need of a helping hand, counsel, encouragement, or just someone to talk to.

Elaine is survived by all of her children and stepchildren, by multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and by all her brothers and sisters except one. She lived as long and well as she could, but was happy at the thought of being re-united with her beloved pre-deceased husband, after an absence of nearly two years.