Ellen Ineas Martindale

DECLO – Ellen Ineas Martindale, age 86, of Declo, passed away Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at Autumn Haven in Rupert.

Ellen was born May 21, 1937, on the family-homesteaded farm north of Shoshone, Idaho, to Marian (Marianna) and Manuel Ineas, immigrants from the island of Pico in the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal. Much of the Ineas family came from the Azores in 1916, with Ellen’s two oldest sisters in tow, to work the farmland and make a new life for themselves in this country. The family entered the US through Ellis Island in New York City, and they all spoke only Portuguese at the time of their arrival. Grandpa Ineas was adamant that if the family was going to live in this country, everyone would learn to speak English as soon as possible. Ellen was the youngest of nine daughters born to Manuel and Marian. They lived on the farm until around 1941, and then moved into the town of Shoshone because of Manuel’s health. Ellen’s father was killed in a vehicle and train accident at the main Shoshone train crossing in 1946, when she was nine years old. She continued to be raised by her mother and loving older sisters.

She graduated from Shoshone High in 1955, and went on to dental hygiene school in Seattle. She married Lewis O. Martindale, her high school sweetheart of Shoshone, in 1960, after he returned from service in the US Navy. They moved to Pocatello, and then to Logan, Utah, while Lew finished college. During their time in Logan she worked as a secretary for the US Farm Home Administration. After moving to Burley in 1965, when Lew was hired by the BLM, Ellen became a homemaker and “stay-at-home mom” while her kids grew and went to school.

In Burley, she was a mom first, and the seamstress of the town second. She sewed for numerous people in the Burley and Rupert area, and did alterations for a number of stores in Burley including the Mayfair and Roper’s. She continued to do wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses and all kinds of sewing up until the last ten years when her dexterity and eyesight gave out.

The family moved to a farm north of Declo in 1972, so Lew could be a farmer rather than working for the government. He then decided he liked his 9-5 job much better than he liked the farm job of 5-9 and in 1979, they moved into the town of Declo and Lew went to work for the Forest Service. Ellen resided at their home in Declo until last June, when she moved to Autumn Haven Assisted Living in Rupert. Lew passed away in 2009.

When they moved into Declo, Ellen took a job with the Declo Schools and became the “lunch lady” in the cafeteria for the K-12 lunchroom. She worked in the lunchroom for almost 20 years, and was very proud of the fact that she almost always knew every kid’s name in all the grades of the school each year. She watched a lot of the kids go from first grade all the way through senior year at the school. She learned how to bake bread and many other treats working for the school district, but her cinnamon rolls were the best in the area. She was also famous in the family for her mother’s recipe for apple pie (the old country way of making it) and for everyone’s favorite “almond duck” usually made with Lew’s ducks that he shot. This always seemed to be the most requested dish for Christmas Dinner each year for the entire family.

Ellen is survived by her children, Richard (Ric) Martindale of Boise, Michelle (Shelly) Johnson and son-in-law, Dennis, of Heyburn, and Mike Martindale and daughter-in-law, Lori, of Paul. She is also survived by grandchildren, Dylan Martindale, Hunter Martindale and wife, MaKaye, Brogan Martindale and wife, Macey, Kelton Martindale, and Madison Johnson; and great-grandchildren, Rev, River, and Brixton. She is also survived by her older sister, Dorothy Carson, of Buhl; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, Manuel and Marian Ineas; her husband, Lew; and her sisters, Florence Nunes (Edward), Clarinda Barney (Dean), Lucille Ineas, Marie Meyer (Camden), Lillie Warburton (Dick), Patricia Gabica (Hank), and Naomi Ineas; and brother-in-law, Bob Carson.

The family would like to express their most sincere thanks to the owners and staff of Autumn Haven Assisted Living in Rupert for their kind and loving care of mom during this past year, and to the nurses and staff of Visions Hospice in her final days at the facility. She truly appreciated everything that was done for her to make her life pleasant and comfortable after moving from her home in Declo.

The funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 1, at St. Therese the Little Flower Catholic Church, located at 1601 Oakley Ave. in Burley, with Father Roger LaChance of Boise presiding. The interment will be at Paul Cemetery in Paul, Idaho, after the Mass with lunch to follow. Mom would want you to come to the service, burial and lunch in casual and comfortable dress.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.

A live webcast of the Funeral Mass will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/qqTIBPVYwR8.