Berta Churchill

Berta "Boots" Churchill, 72, died Monday, November 29th at her home in Elgin.

A celebration of her life will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, December 5th at the Elgin Stampede Hall in Elgin.

Boots Churchill was born on October 31, 1932 in McCloud, Oklahoma to Eucle and Georgia (Persinger) Spencer. She was raised and educated in McCloud where she met and married Jack Crosser and they had four children. Boots began working hard at a very early age picking cotton and blackberries in the fields around McCloud, she later became a technician and a supervisor for the Sylvania Corporation in Oklahoma before moving to Elgin in 1963.

On February 12, 1965 she married Wesley "Wick" Churchill in Elgin. Boots began working in Elgin at Odies and the Brunswick. She then worked 3 years as a bookkeeper for Boise Cascade, before begining a long career at Elgin Electric where she worked at for over 20 year. Boots was awarded the Whirlpool Sales Person of the year for the Pacific Northwest Region for 5 years, she continued to fill in occasionally until her death. Boots opened a small bakery and catering business in Elgin she later sold the bakery but continued to cater special occasions; she also worked at the Timbers and Taco shack.

Boots served on the Elgin city council for 12 years, and then went on to serve as Mayor for another 4 years. She belonged to the League of Oregon Mayors. She served for over 25 plus years on the Elgin TV Association. She belonged to the Elgin Women's Service Club, the Order of Eastern Star, Rebecka's, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and served as secretary of the Elgin Chamber of Commerce. In 2003 she was named Elgin Woman of the year.

Some of the things Boots loved to do were fishing, hunting, huckleberring and anything in the outdoors. She enjoyed gardening, sewing and cooking, but her biggest love was spending time with family and friends especially during the holiday season. Christmas was her favorite time of the year; Boots was mom and grandma to a lot of of people other than family.

Survivors include her husband Wick of Elgin; children, Ken and Jackie Crosser of Oklahoma City, Linda and Phillip Hagen of Waupaca, Wisconsin, Jack and Brenda Crosser of Elgin, Julia and Roy Howell of Elgin; 10 grandchildren, Tracy Weatherspoon, Mark Howell, Jacky Severin, Jeff Crosser, Michael Hagen, John Fox, Jennifer Fox, Stacey Duncan, Chrissy Meeks, and Adam Hardin, ; 8 great grandchildren, Alex, Sophie, Ryan, Brittany, Kaleb, Paige, Elise and Christopher; sisters, Lois Cable of Elgin, Betty Pendarvis of Wyoming, Maxine Haley of Oklahoma, and 4 step brothers; several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law; numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and many friends. Boots was preceeded in death by her parents a sister and a brother.


The family suggests contributions in memory of Boots Churchill be made to the Elgin High School to be used for the Future Business Leaders of America, the Honor Society Giving Tree, or Future Farmers of America. Contributions may be mailed to the Elgin High School at P.O. Box 68, Elgin, OR 97827 or left in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th St., La Grande, OR 97850.