Murphys, CA…Elsie was born March 12th, 1940 in Hollywood, CA, the daughter of Elmer and Lillian (Prudence) Soper.
She attended Santa Monica High School and graduated in 1958. As a young lady, she was very active in girl scouts, and both her and her sister Donna were involved in Rainbow girls in their teens. Their mother Prudence spent many hours making dresses for the two of them. After high school, Elsie got a job as an accountant at a local car dealership where she met Joyce Montgomery who would be her lifelong friend. As a young woman, she was very involved in both Rainbow Girls and Eastern Star.

She married her first husband, Robert (Bob) Kitching, in 1963, in Venice, CA. Bob and Elsie raised three lovely girls, Deborah, Lori and Kristi, and were married for 19 years until his passing in 1982. Elsie was a girl scout troop leader when the girls were little and was on the advisory board when they grew older and joined the Rainbow Girls.

In addition to working as an accountant for a local restaurant and helping at the bar owned by her parents, Elsie was also a foster care worker. She would take care of 10-15 kids during the summer, many of whom she’s maintained contact with over the years. She always had a plethora of activities planned for the kids and would ensure that each one knew how to count change at the yearly Rainbow Girls garage sells.

In the late 70’s Bob and Elsie started taking vacations in Murphys, CA, along with several of their friends. When Bob became ill, they decided to leave Venice and move to Murphys permanently where they lived in the old house at Brice Station. Elsie and her youngest daughter, Kristi, were heavily involved in 4-H, and their favorite part was the cooking classes Elsie would teach. She learned may new skills those first few years from driving tractor to bucking hay.

In 1984, she was introduced to Raymond Whittle and they were married in 1985. They spent many hours taking road trips where Ray would sing songs and tell stories. While with Ray, she learned to fish and hunt often doing better than him. Ray and Elsie moved to Ennis, MT where she became a real estate agent. They lived there for several years before eventually moving back here to Murphys.

Elsie joined the Mormon church where she put her extensive cooking and people skills to work helping with all the events. There was nothing she liked better than planning a party and cooking all the food.
Elsie was a woman of rare grace and it was so very obvious in everything she did and to everyone she met. She was always doing for others and was loved by everyone that had the pleasure of meeting her. Elsie was a truly beautiful woman and we will miss her dearly.

Elsie was proceeded in death by her parents Elmer and Prudence Soper, her first husband Bob Kitching, her daughter Deborah Gauldoni and son Raymond (Buzz) Whittle Jr.

She is survived by her husband Raymond Whittle; daughter Lori Ford of Stockton; daughter and son-in law Kristi and John Adams of Helena, MT; daughter and son-in-law Donna and Terry Bullock of Angels Camp; Sister Donna Maddy of Chula Vista, CA; grandchildren Michael and Lori Whittle of Placerville; Dean and Jennifer Whittle of Chandler, AZ; Courtney Gauldoni, Jennifer Gauldoni, Kevin Ford, Ryan and Mercedes Ford, Brandon Ford, Lauren Ford; 11 great grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on December 2nd at 11 AM with a luncheon to follow at the Mormon church in Murphys.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to a charity of choice.