 April 17, 2008
She was born Dorothy R. John on Jan. 31, 1928, to Harry and Marion John in Troy, New York. She met Ira D. Elerding, Jr. in Boston, when he was in the U.S. Navy. They were married on April 17, 1949 in Bellingham, Wash. The couple lived in Bellingham where Ira was an electrician and Doris worked at the registrar's office at Western Washington State University. In 1962, they moved to Ketchikan, where Ira went to work for the Ketchikan Pulp Mill and Doris went to work at First Bank. Ira died in 1972. Mrs. Elerding moved to Washington, D.C., to work for Sen. Frank Murkowski in 1981. After retiring, she moved to Portland, Ore., and finally to the Seattle area where she resided until her death. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ira D. Elerding, Jr.; parents, Harry and Marion John; brothers, Harry John and Skip John; and nephew, Richard John. Survivors include sisters, Ruth Ward of Red Bluff, Calif. and Marion (Frank) Roach of Harrisburg, Penn.; daughters, Merrideth "Mimi" Eddy of Ketchikan and Mary Jane (Tom) Rzegocki of Seattle; son, Michael (Michal Beth) Elerding of Ketchikan; grandchildren, Matthew (Heather) Elerding of Battle Ground, Wash., Rocky (Dana) Elerding of Ketchikan, Lauren Elerding of Portland, Christopher (Laura) Eddy of Beaverton, Ore., Erin (Matt) Caskey of Ketchikan; David Rzegocki of Bellingham, Kate Rzegocki of Seattle and Meghan Rzegocki of Seattle; 11 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. A graveside service was held
noon on Thursday, April 17, 2008, at Greenacres Memorial Park
in Ferndale, Wash., where Mrs. Elerding will be buried next to
her husband.
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