Ellen Marie Wilson

Ellen Marie (Thomas) Wilson passed away August 7, 2016, at Fairchild Medical Center in Yreka, CA. She was born July 21, 1920 to Blanche Lavena (Dodge) Thomas and James Harrison Thomas at the Cornish Hospital in Dunsmuir, CA. When Ellen was a small child the family moved briefly to Grants Pass, OR to be near her grandparents. Ellen was six when the family left Siskiyou County and moved to Chico, CA where she started grade school at Nord Avenue Elementary. Work then brought the family back to Siskiyou County, where her dad worked on a cattle ranch in Edgewood, CA. She attended Cedar Park School in Edgewood, which is now a part of the Mills Ranch. Ellen later moved with the family to Gazelle and Grenada. During the “Great Depression” the family moved to Seiad Valley, CA where gold mining was a way of survival. Ellen attended Yreka High School for three years, living in a boarding house in town, since school buses were not available down the Klamath River. Her senior year in high school she stayed with her grandparents in Grants Pass, and graduated from the Grants Pass High School in 1937. Ellen then moved back to Seiad where she worked at the telephone exchange in Hamburg and as a family helper and nanny for the Sunderlands, who remained close family friends during their life. The Yreka Gold Dredging Company moved to Seiad during this time, and there Ellen met Robert Ree Wilson. They were married in Reno, NV in 1940 and continued to live in Seiad until the dredge shut down. They then moved to Copco, (California Oregon Power Company), a remote company camp and power dam site on the Klamath River, where they lived for 32 years and raised three children prior to moving to Little Shasta Valley, CA in retirement. Ellen was a member of the Siskiyou County Republican Women, Siskiyou County Historical Society, Siskiyou County Cattle Women, Gold Star Mothers, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and an active member of the Little Shasta Church. Preceding her in death was husband, Robert (1990), and a son, David (1968), who was killed in action in Vietnam, six brothers and two sisters. Ellen is survived by her children, son, Robert Wilson (Phyllis) of Delta, CO, daughter, Mary Coon (Doug) of Lakeview, OR. She leaves grandchildren, Stacy Jensen (Mike) of Redvale, CO, Devin Wilson (Shelly) of Montrose, CO, Ace Ariaz of Reno, NV, Erika Cox (Zack) of Klamath Falls, OR and Natalie Shields (Ken) of Carrollton, GA. Ellen also leaves one brother, Harry Thomas (Jackie) of Cave Junction, OR, four great grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Siskiyou County Historical Society or the Little Shasta Church. A Celebration of Life for Ellen will be held on September 24, 2016, at the Little Shasta Church at 1:00 P.M., with a potluck to follow.

Ellen Marie Wilson

July 21, 1920 - August 7, 2016