Elsie Lucinda Ortega

BURLEY – Elsie Lucinda Ortega, a 95-year-old resident of Burley, passed away Tuesday, November 24, 2020, at Parke View Rehabilitation and Care Center in Burley.

Our Mom was born February 3, 1925, to Don and Marina Martinez in the small town of Capulin, Colorado. She was one of 12 children. She grew up and attended school in Capulin. There she met our father, Manuel Rudy Ortega, and they were married on November 15, 1943. They had five children: Robert “Bob” Ortega (Jane) of Eden Idaho, Ruth Tundag (Richard) of Rupert, Virginia Pollard (Les) of Nampa, and Andy Ortega (Kris) of Ennis, Montana. They also had a daughter, Elsie, who died at childbirth. They have 12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Who can summarize 95 years of someone's life in a few paragraphs? So we will share her two most outstanding traits.

First and foremost, she inherited the "Martinez work ethic". Hard work was her adrenalin. Those in the family will understand when we say you'd find her pulling weeds in the garden at 5:30 in the morning and didn't stop working until sundown. Many were the days we'd wake up at 7 a.m. to the sound of the vacuum cleaner already going and the kitchen cabinet door slamming. We never figured out if she just wanted us to get out of bed or to instill that same work ethic in us; needless to say, whatever her motive, it worked–we all inherited her work ethic.

Her second outstanding trait was her gift of hospitality. Mom wasn't born with this gift, it was one that developed out of necessity. When Dad entered the ministry, Mom worked alongside him. In those days, it was the custom that the pastor was expected to house and feed the visiting preacher or evangelist in their own home. Our parents gave up their bed for our visiting guest, which in turn caused our parents to sleep in our bed and we slept on the floor. Mom would cook all three meals for our guest, no matter if the guest stayed three days or two weeks.

The younger generation today would not understand Mom's devotion to her work and hospitality and at the time, neither did we. But today, we value these traits and find she taught us well as we ourselves carry on the same traditions.

Aside from her children and grandchildren, Mom is survived by five sisters: Ann Tillman of California, Evelyn Marin of Union City, California, Susan Thompson of Pocatello, Margaret Gale of Roy, Utah, and Tives Soto of Pocatello.

She was preceded her in death by her parents; her husband; siblings, Nieves Martinez, Andrew Martinez, Martha Martinez, Joe Martinez, Don Martinez, and Lonnie Martinez; son-in-law, Richard Tundag Sr., grandson, Justin L. Ortega; and great-grandchildren, William Elliott, Grace Elliott, and Jeremiah McFate.

We'd like to express our appreciation to the all the staff at Parke View for the care they gave our Mom. We would also like to thank our sister, Ruth, for all time, work and care she gave Mom. She not only carried her share, but our share too as the rest of us live out town.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, December 4, 2020, at Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, with Pastor Nathan Pollard officiating. Friends and family will be received from 10 until 10:45 a.m. prior to the service. The interment will take place at the Rupert Cemetery, where Elsie will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband, Manuel.