Mary “Elaine” Myers passed away at the age of 88 on Friday, October 21st, 2022 in her beloved home in Spokane, Washington. Born in Far Rockaway, New York to Clara Sarsfield and Thomas Francis Morris, Elaine moved with her mother and siblings to the Spokane area and spent her childhood from age four on the farm of her Irish grandparents on Thorp Road. Her father was quarantined with TB and passed away when Elaine was very young.

A lifelong Spokane resident, Elaine graduated from Marycliff High School in 1952 and received an academic scholarship to Gonzaga University. Vowing never to handle another farm chicken, she went on to become one of the first women to study accounting at Gonzaga and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration before becoming a certified public accountant.

With a passion for numbers and people, Elaine worked tirelessly as an accountant for over 50 years, spearheading a path for women while helping many individuals, families, businesses and charitable organizations. She loved advising her clients and took great satisfaction assisting them with financial decisions. Elaine worked with many clients over generations, and she held a special place in her heart for farmers -- including the Hutterites -- and nonprofit organizations. Elaine was an influential, dedicated and brilliant woman.

Married to former husband Ron Myers in 1967, they built their home the following year on Spokane’s South Hill. Elaine was devoted to her mother Clara and aunt Mary Sarsfield, taking care of them as they aged. She also helped raise stepdaughter Linda Myers and she remained close to the children of her best friend, the late Ellen Raftis Kinzer, whom she considered family.

Elaine was a loyal friend and devoted grandmother. She cherished her longtime friends Elaine and the late Lyle Orness. Her bright blue eyes lit up around babies and children and she loved dogs; especially her poodles Kelly Myers and Sean Morris. She was a very social person. She loved attending celebrations; bringing her famous dill dip and creme brulée to share. She especially loved Christmas, always making sure her loved ones had ample decor. She was forever interested in the lives of the people she loved, always lending an ear and encouraging and inspiring them to work hard and strive for what they wanted in life.

Elaine loved all things Irish. As a girl she would often sing Gaelic hymns with her Irish grandparents. She loved sharing her beautiful soprano voice in the girls' choir and later while attending Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Augustine. She cultivated a lifetime love for song, music and the arts; including musicals and plays and especially the Spokane Symphony and the Spokane Chamber Music Quartet at the Bing and Fox Theaters.

Elaine was preceded in death by her siblings Clare, Thomas Jr., Patrick and Robert (“Bobby”), her parents Clara and Thomas, and former husband Ronald Myers. She is survived by her sister-in-law Patricia Morris, cousin Bill Wieber, step-daughter Linda Myers, former son in law Robert McWilliams (Debbie) dear friend Elaine Orness, longtime colleague and dear friend Heather Klinke, Bridget (Geoff) Webster, Lisa (Chris) Weber, Kevin Kinzer, Karen Kinzer (Doug Byrd), Mary (Joe) Doohan, Sarah Kinzer (Marco Capra) and grandchildren Cori and Casey McWilliams, along with many nieces and nephews.

A special thank you to all Elaine’s caregivers, especially Hannele Nowak, and to all Elaine’s loved ones who helped care for her in the last years of her life as she struggled with Parkinson’s disease.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to a nonprofit community organization of your choice or one that Elaine held dear: The Patrick Morris and Elaine Myers Scholarship Fund at Gonzaga University.