Elaine was born on Jan. 13, 1925 in Mapes, North Dakota. Her parents were Harry and Alfreda Derrig. Her Dad was Irish and her Mom was Swedish… and she always tended to be proud of her Swedish heritage. On Dec. 25, 1946 on a blind date she met Ray Jagels – they married on Dec. 28th, 1946 and lived in Enid, Oklahoma where the first of their five children was born in 1948. They then moved to Madras, Oregon, where Elaine’s parents lived.

In 1971 Elaine and Ray moved to Orcas Island from Madras and opened Ray’s pharmacy, which they owned until 1994 when it was sold to Jack and Robin Becker. The community welcomed them with open arms and they were very happy living on Orcas.

Elaine was a strong woman with a great sense of humor. She was a bridge teacher and was part of the local bridge club. She had fun with the local theatre community and participated in many plays. She was a member of the Orcas Island Study Group and the Orcas Gardeners club. She loved gardening and kept her garden with an extensive variety of trees, bushes and plants species. She was an avid reader. She would read three or four books simultaneously. The books she was reading last week were “The Mighty & The Almighty” by Madeleine Albright and Sidney Poiter’s autobiography.

Her command of the English language was exquisite and it was a delight to hear her tell stories. She was very interested in wild life particularly birds, she knew every local bird’s name and habitat.

She was open-minded, had a great sense of humor, was curious about other cultures, and had an interest in current affairs. With her husband she traveled extensively around the world. She was one of the founders and an active member of the local Lutheran Church. Her religion and connection to the church were very important to her.

She and her husband were members of the Orcas Island Lions Club and supported many nonprofit organizations, locally and nationwide.

Family was most important to her, and her children and grandchildren brought happiness to her life.

Elaine passed away the morning of May 22 at her apartment in Merrill Gardens in Marysville. She used to say to her close friends and family, “The day I die, do not cry, as I will be happy with Ray and God.” She will be missed and always remembered.

She is survived by her children Rebecca, Thomas, Sara, Daniel, and Robert.

At her request, there will be no funeral or memorial service.