Eunice Marie McElligott passed away on December 6, 2017, at her home in Ione, Oregon. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, December 18, 2017 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Heppner with recitation of the Holy Rosary at 10 a.m. Monday, December 18 also at St Patrick Catholic Church. Concluding service and burial will follow at High View Cemetery in Ione. There will be a meal at the American Legion Hall in Ione after the burial.
She was born on February 5, 1925 at Heppner, Oregon. She was the only child of Delbert and Delpha Pettyjohn Hiatt. After her mother's death in 1926, Eunice lived with several families in the Heppner area before moving to Gresham with her father where she attended Gresham Grade School for two years before returning to Heppner. She graduated Heppner High School in 1943. After graduation, she moved to San Francisco where she began her nursing career.
While working in San Francisco she met Donald C. McElligott and they were married there on March 29, 1948. The couple moved to Portland, Oregon where their two eldest children were born.
In 1952, they moved back to the McElligott homestead in Ione where they farmed with Don's brother and sister-in-law. Their remaining ten children were born in Heppner and Pendleton between 1953 and 1965. While raising her children, Eunice returned to nursing as a registered nurse at Pioneer Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home in Heppner. She retire in 1983.
Eunice loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed watching Ione Community School sporting events, concerts, and other activities. She was a member of St. William's Catholic Church and Altar Society, the Ione Legion Auxiliary, Ione Topic Club, Willows' Grange, and the Pioneer Nursing Home Auxiliary.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Donald, and infant daughter, Eunice Helena and her half Brother Don Hiatt.
Eunice is survived by eleven children: Patrick (Nancy) of Dayton, Oregon, Maureen of Ione, Peter (Nancy) of Condon, Mary (James) of Milwaukie, Oregon, Kathleen (Alfred) Cheung of Salt Lake City, Joan of McAllen, Texas, Paul of Ione, Carol (Dan) Tylor of Portland, Michelle (Mark) Schwyhart of Portland, Jerome (Anna) of Ione, and Elizabeth( Treve) Peterson of Ione. She is also survived by grandchildren: Hope, Brian (Angelic), Ben (Kaycee), Janet (Jourdan) Kintz, Jil Morgan, Erin Cleveland Ann Cheung, Mathew and Kevin Greider, Jeremiah, Salli (Steve) Hopkins, Diana, Sean and Molly LA Marche, Kelly and Clair Schwhart, Kylie, Mary (Riley) Clark, Rita, Donald, Cecilia, John, and Renee and Haylie Peterson and her great-grandchildren: Michael, William, Wyatt and William Licence and Emma Kintz, her exchange grandchildren; Adriana Tringali and Pernilee Borlund, numerous nieces and nephews and their children and her beloved dog, Buster.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Class of 1968 Scholarship Fund, c/o the Bank of Eastern Oregon, Box 106, Ione, Oregon 97843 or to Cason's Place, 1416 SE Court St., Pendleton, Oregon 97801.
Sweeney Mortuary of Heppner is in care of arrangements.
