Elden C. Adams was born in 1921 to Elmer and Ida Faye Matlock Adams in Meridian, and passed away at his home in Payette on May 22, 2008. Services will be held at 9:30 a.m., Thursday, May 29, at the Ontario Elks Lodge. Internment services will follow at the Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in Boise at 2:30 p.m. Elden attended Blue Valley Grade School and Meridian High School. He married Betty Jane Teeter, of Meridian in 1943. With Elden's parents working in the shipyards in Portland, Ore., Elden and Betty farmed the family homestead until the crop came off in 1944. Elden joined the army in October and was shipped to the Philippines where he served as First Scout with the 126th infantry 32nd Red Arrow Division. In the assault on Luzon, prior to preparing for the invasion of Japan, Elden's unit captured 13,000 prisoners of war. It was Sept. 14, 1945 - a full month after the official end of the war - before his unit knew the war was actually over. Elden received a Silver Star in 1946 and was honorably discharged with the rank of First Sergeant. In 1951, Elden and Betty moved to Payette where Elden purchased a milk route from the Farmers Cooperative Creamery. He began operations with one route hauling milk in cans and expanded this operation through the late 1960's. In the early 1970's Elden was instrumental in uniting contract milk haulers to form Treasure Valley Milk. This organization transitioned moving the milk hauling industry in the Treasure Valley from cans to bulk hauling. By 1990, Elden's organization, known as Service Transportation, had delivered milk to every processing plant in the Treasure Valley and was handling in excess of five million pounds of raw milk daily. Besides, work, friends and family, Elden's passions were his involvement in the Ontario Elks Lodge and his cabin in High Valley. Elden became a member of Elk's Lodge in 1957. He was Elk of the Year in 1995 and Exalted Ruler in 2001. He was also a committed coach for the officers involved with the annual Elks Ritual contests, and was particularly passionate in his furtherance of the philanthropic endeavors of the National Elks Foundation. Elden's second passion was snowmobiling, four-wheeling, and the camaraderie he had with his many High Valley friends and neighbors. Elden was an Idaho Masonic Brother and member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Elden is survived by Betty, his wife of 65 years, daughter Kay (Bob) Carlson; son Terry (Darlene) Adams, daughter Coleen (Steve) Hodson; sister Ferne Roberts; two grandsons, Steve and Ted Carlson and five great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents. The family thanks Elden's loyal Elk Brothers and his High Valley companions who so generously gave their love and support over these past few months. Memorials can be made to National Elks Foundation or the charity of your choice, in care of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, P.O. Box 730, Payette, Idaho 83661.

The Idaho Statesman, May 25, 2008 Main Page 13