Elaine A. Bowen Merrell passed from this world to the arms of Our Father in Heaven on May 23rd, 2025, at the age of 74 from an aggressive battle with Common Bile Duct Cancer.  Elaine was surrounded by love, family and her eternal companion and sweetheart, Charles L. Merrell, by her side at her home in Montpelier Idaho.

Elaine was born on December 4th, 1950, in Rexburg Idaho to Grant Meridith Bowen and Margaret Adrienne Hawkes. She was number five of six children and was taught hard work, clear values, a deep love of family, and a sure knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Elaine is proceeded in death by her parents and older brothers Merideth and Bryce, children Jacob and Joseph, and daughter-in-law Shayla. She is survived by her husband Charles L. Merrell and children Charles G. (Holly) Merrell, Janet Merrell, Ryan B. (Valerie) Merrell, Mark E. (Jamie) Merrell, Julie (Chris) Virgin, Casey B. Merrell, Audrena (Randy) Apadaca, Shannon (Jake) Miller; thirty grandchildren and one great-grandchild. As well as her siblings, Charlene (David) Walters, Keith (Diana) Bowen, and Jerome (Julie) Bowen.

Elaine served a mission to Chile for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which set her life goal of spreading the gospel in all she did. Shortly after returning home, she met the love of her life, Charles L. Merrell, while working at the BYU Campus Student Health Center as a Nurse Practitioner. Her children are fond of saying that he walked in for an admission physical to vet school and walked out with a wife. After a whirl-wind courtship, Chuck and Elaine were married for time and all eternity on March 25th, 1976, in the Salt Lake Temple.

After Chuck's graduation from Colorado State University in Veterinary Medicine, they eventually were led to set up practice in Montpelier, Idaho, where they put down roots and they called it home. There they founded "The Bear Lake Animal Hospital" and continued working side by side along with their eight children to build a beautiful life together.

Elaine is known best for her love of the gospel, missionary work, and desire to serve. She lived her life by a few valuable lessons and is known to say, "I'd be glad to" and then be glad to do it! As well as the motto, "Forget yourself and go to work".  She found joy and laughter in every situation, and she tried to find the good in every difficulty.  Elaine found strength and joy through her testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and valued the opportunity to share this virtue with anyone she met.

If asked about her greatest treasure?  Elaine would say without hesitation that her family was her greatest investment and her most valuable asset. Her home was never happier than when she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. The greatest lesson taught to us by words as well as example was the importance of staying on the covenant path.

Elaine loved prisms as they refract and spread light throughout the world and lived her life with grace and beauty while lighting up our lives with joy and laughter. She had a flare that brought love, vibrancy and joy to our lives and to the lives of those around her. Her home is full of prisms a light, a rainbow, and the prism of our lives. She will be sorely missed, but we know she has returned to her Savior in honor and is now anxiously waiting, watching, and guiding us until the day we too: "Return with Honor" as an eternal family.

Services for Elaine will be held on June 2, 2025, at 1:00 pm at the Montpelier Idaho 3rd/5th Ward building in Montpelier, Idaho. Viewing will take place at the same location on Sunday June 1, 2025, from 6 - 8:00 p.m. and on Monday from 10-11:30 a.m. prior to the funeral services. Her burial will occur immediately following the funeral at the Montpelier Idaho Cemetery.