Elaine Boken was born on March 24, 1929 to James & Myrtle Thompson at Beulah, North Dakota on a small parcel of land homesteaded by her grandfather, Lorenzo Dow Thompson, whose claim to fame was beating Abraham Lincoln in a leg wrestling match during the Civil War to claim the right to a campsite for his troops. She grew up in tough times during the depression era in the s"dirty 30's", moving 11 times during her grade school years and 22 time during a lifetime. Her father worked in many coal mines in North Dakota, Washington, and Montana. They even lived in a wall tent at Fort Peck while her father worked on the dam construction. He was injured in the Mt Con Mine in Butte and with a small settlement moved to Stevensville, MT in 1943 to purchase the Mint Bar. She lived throughout the Bitterroot Valley and they had a ranch at Bell Crossing near Florence and then also owned the Wagon Wheel Bar and Restaurant in Hamilton.

After graduating from high school she went to Colorado Women's College for one year and was so homesick she moved back to Montana and finished her education at Western Montana College in Dillon. With a teaching certificate she was hired in Twin Bridges to teach 2nd grade in 1949 and 1950. She married Mitch Boken in 1950 and this was a rude awakening, as the ranch had nomindoor plumbing. There was a pitcher pump in the kitchen which drained into a 5 gallon bucket under the cupboard, and an outhouse which she later covered the interior with Ace Reid cartoons. She said it was at least something to read. She went on to report that when it got 20 to 30 below the blankets on the bed would freeze to the board wall in the bedroom. She did brag about the majestic stove in the kitchen that had a warming oven and they would heat all their water for baths for the family on it with a copper boiler. She resided at the ranch in Twin Bridges for 60 years before moving to Sheridan, MT.

Mike her son, was born in 1951 and her daughter, Michelle in 1953. Mike passed away in 1989 from cancer and her husband, Mitch in 1994. She was a devoted mother and wife her entire life. Cows and the ranch had a special place in her life. All 100 cows had a name and she would know the linage behind everyone. Since Mitch worked for the SCS in Dillon for 24 years, Elaine pretty much managed the ranch with the help of Mike and Michelle and good neighbors. They partnered with Lawrence and Dorothy Giem to add to the ranch in the 1960's. They bought the Hudson Ranch in the Upper Ruby and Elaine loved to ride and gather cattle every summer. She spent her lifetime, calving, riding, and flood irrigating, I swear she could make water run up hill. One of her only social outings was riding with the Saddle Tramps drill team which is now the Rambling Rose Drill Team. She was a 4-H leader for many years and she made time to help a neighbor whenever needed.

Her daughter and son in law moved back to the ranch in 1994 when Mitch passed away and then she sold the ranch and moved to Sheridan in 2016 to be close to them.

She is survived by her daughter and son in law, Jim and Michelle Van Dyke of Sheridan and her daughter Jamie Van Dyke and her husband Joe Capri of Bozeman; granddaughters Alex Bobo and her husband Tom and their son, mom's only great grandchild, Parker, all of Boise Idaho, and granddaughter Kathleen Wilson of Ketchum, Idaho and daughter in law Cathy Wilson of Bellevue, Idaho; niece Sandra Hill and her husband Ron Yacomelli, nephews, Dennis Naranche and John Mast and his wife Dana. She wanted Kathy Lott and her family recognized as a special friend and neighbor. Thanks to Home Park staff and Lori Burwell who gave her special care in her last days.

We say good buy to a special person who will be remembered for all her love of animals and family. She will be riding herd and watching over us, till we meet down the trail.

She requested no funeral and only a graveside service for the family. Memorials may be sent to the Twin Bridges Library or the Twin Bridges Historical Association.