Barbara May Elison (Tautkus)

MISSOULA ~ Barbara Tautkus Elison passed away Wednesday, December 9th in the evening. It was a peaceful departure from a life as a wonderful wife and mother. At the time of her passing she was listening to Mormon hymns.

She was married to William W. Elison and they spent most of their lives in Missoula. They raised five fine, successful children, each different, each a blessing. Barbara did most of the raising. She imparted high standards, both moral and academic, and was very proud of her decision to attend and graduate from college at BYU, the first college graduate in her family. Born in Hartford, Connecticut in May of 1939, a daughter of Peter and Rose Delorme Tautkus, she survived tetanus and a coma of several weeks as a twelve year old --- something unheard of then and perhaps even now. She was a faithful church member and a lover of music, often part of a local Ward choir. Both she and her husband loved classical music and attended the Missoula Symphony regularly. She told her husband that she married him only because he could play the piano. He hoped that was in jest. Since she never had a chance to learn, she said that was the best she could do. She loved to cook, and she loved children. All in the family benefited. She leaves a high bar for the next generation to live up to.

She is survived by husband and five children, Blake Elison of American Fork, Utah; Bret Elison of Rochester, MN; Brenda Schmidt of Richmond, VA; Bryce Elison of Seattle, WA; and Barton Elison of St. Augustine, FL. --- most with college degrees of various levels and one a very successful self-taught computer programmer. She was proud of all of her nine grandchildren and loved talking to them on the phone and in person.

Barbara is now free of pain and gone onto a much better place. She will be missed by all who knew her.

Private burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Missoula. Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula.