Longtime Corvallis resident, Elaine Mellen Sutherland passed away peacefully on March 31, 2015 surrounded by family members.
She was born in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho to Octavia and Fred Hyland. She spent her youth in Port Hill and Bonner’s Ferry.
Elaine graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics from the University of Idaho in 1956. Her first teaching job was in Saint Maries, Idaho where she taught homemaking classes to junior and senior high school students.
On June 7, 1957, she married Thomas “Tom” Mellen in Moscow, Idaho. Elaine and Tom were married for 4 years and had 2 children, Kim and Rick. Tom was tragically killed in a plane crash on August 1, 1961 and Elaine was left to raise her 2 children by herself.
The family moved to Corvallis in 1963 for Elaine to get her Master’s in Education from Oregon State University. After finishing at OSU, she taught Home Economics at Philomath High School. The family spent the 1971-72 school year in Bristol, England where Elaine taught Home Economics at Fulton Technical College. She left Philomath High School in 1979; for the next 2 years she supervised first-year teachers across the state of Oregon for the Home Economics Department at OSU until her retirement.
She married Charles “Chuck” Sutherland on June 3, 1982. Over the next 30 years, Elaine and Chuck had great adventures together, traveling to more than 30 countries in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America, and to 26 states, often in the company of family and friends. They also hosted numerous foreign students and took them under their wings as they studied at Oregon State University. Frequently, they had the opportunity to visit these students in their native countries as they traveled the world.
Elaine and Chuck were active volunteers. They dedicated many hours to Habitat for Humanity, Crossroads International, and the Oregon Coast Aquarium. In 2000 they received an award as Senior First Citizens from the city of Corvallis.
In the later years of their marriage, as Chuck’s health failed, Elaine was devoted to his care and well being until he passed away on October 15, 2012. After Chuck’s death she moved to Sandy, Oregon to be closer to her daughter. She spent the final 2 ½ years of her life at Cascadia Village Retirement and Assisted Living Community in Sandy, Oregon.
Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband Tom (1961), her second husband Chuck (2012), her 2 brothers (James Vernon “Whitey” and Fredrick Burnell “Burnie”).
She is survived by her 2 children (spouses) Kim Mellen-McLean (Gary) and Richard Mellen (Anna); her 4 step-children (spouses) David Sutherland (Susan), Richard Sutherland (Sue), Ann Campbell (Dan), and Kevin Sutherland (Betsy); her sister Isobel and brother-in-law Ed; sister-in-law Dale Hyland; many nieces and nephews; 14 grandchildren; and dozens of great-grandchildren.
She will be remembered fondly by all who knew her.
A celebration of life will be held at 4pm Sunday, April 12, at Grace Lutheran Church, Corvallis. Inurnment will occur in Mountain Home, Idaho on April 19.
The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, remembrances in honor of Elaine Mellen Sutherland be directed to Benton Habitat for Humanity (http://bentonhabitat.org/) .