Earline Couture
courtesy photo
Earline Couture
ELMO — On Sept. 11, 2019, Earline Tenas Couture, 73, passed away in the comfort of her home. She was a quick-
witted and brutally honest wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She was known and loved for her ornery and blunt comments to those she loved most.
Earline was born on Oct. 30, 1945, to Carla and Earl Goss and raised by her mom and Dennis “Jiggs” Harrington. She was born in Spokane, Washington, and raised in Ronan where she graduated from high school. She married Gene Johnson and later divorced. To that marriage she had sons Jerry and Denny Wayne. She then married Danny Tenas and to this marriage she had three daughters: Dana, Danette and Danelle. Although this marriage ended in divorce, they remained friends until Danny’s death. In 1976, she married Eddie Couture and gained his children Crystal and Darrin Couture. The family moved to Portland, Oregon, and remained there until they retired in 2006. They returned to Elmo to enjoy their retirement.
In her early years, Earline tended bar. She later stayed home to care for the girls. As the girls grew older, Earline reentered the workforce. First at Kandel Knitting Mills for several years until the mill closed and then at Nordstrom’s Distribution Center until her retirement. She enjoyed playing bingo and gambling at the casino but her all-time favorite pastime was roasting friends and family and laughing at them. It was always in good humor and said with love.
In her death she has been reunited with her parents; her infant son Denny Wayne; her brother, Gary Harrington; her daughter, Danelle “Babygirl” Tenas Paul; her stepson, Darrin Couture, and her granddaughter, Lela Perez.
She is survived by her husband, Ed Couture; her sister-in-law Kathy and family; her children, Dana (Adrian) Hewankorn, Danette Tenas, Jerry Johnson (Trisha White); son-in-law Harold Paul; her grandchildren, Jennifer, Todd, Derek, Nisa (Artie), Jordan, Alicia, Su-san (Eddie), Caitlin, Alyza, Trevor, Kiana, Kristan (Bub), Drey, Isaak, and Trinity; 33 great-grandchildren, and her fur-babies Boss, Chewy, Snookie, and Buddy.
Services were held at the Elmo Community Center with interment at the Elmo Cemetery. Pallbearers were Kenny Lozeau, Marlin “Bub” Burke Jr., Artie Mendoza III, Eldon Big Beaver, Mark and Craige Couture. In lieu of flowers, to honor Earline’s memory and her love for animals, the family requests donations be sent to an animal charity of your choice or do as she would do and go to your nearest animal shelter and adopt a dog no one else would.
Messages of condolences may be shared online at: www.lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com. Arrangements under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.
