Elaine Smith

Elaine Mary Christian was born in Flaxville, Montana March 25th, 1915. She was the oldest of 13 children born to Verne Merrill and Annie Rederburg, Christian. She moved with her family to Elma, Washington in 1937. She married Earl Marion Hoyt that same year. She and Earl resided in Port Orchard, Washington and raised their five children there. Earl died in 1957.Elaine bunched brush for Callison's brush plant in Port Orchard, for many years before going to cooking school in Seattle. Upon completion of her schooling she worked for the Olalla Guest Lodge for several years. She met Wendall Smith while working at the lodge. They were married in 1974 and moved to Port Townsend the following year. Due to poor health for both Elaine and Wendall they moved back to Port Orchard in 1994. Wendall died in 1999. Elaine has resided at Ridgemont Terrace for the past two years.She was a wonderful cook. She cooked miraculous meals, cakes and pies and cookies. Her specialty that no one ever forgot was her homemade bread, fried dough gods, bread doughnuts and cinnamon rolls. Many a week end there were guests at at the Hoyt home to enjoy her wonderful cooking. Sharing her wares was her greatest pleasure.She will be remembered by her family as a warm, loving woman who treasured family above all things. She was generous in body and in spirit. She was a good listener and could offer advice without minding your business. She did not miss any opportunity for a family reunion or get together. She will be greatly missed by family and friends.Elaine is survived by her children, Maurice and Donna Hoyt, or Port Orchard, Raymond and Deanna Hoyt of Olalla, Merrill Hoyt of Kamiah, Idaho, Richard and Marty Hoyt of Port Orchard, and Donna Buckendorf of Raymond, Washington. She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.