Elda Mercedes (Balfour) Drew

Elda Drew passed away peacefully in her sleep, at home, the morning of July 8, 2021, after a short illness. She was comforted in the fact that all ten of her children were able to be in Butte and visit with her over the holiday weekend.

Elda was born in Portland Oregon on March 7, 1928 to Alden Balfour and Muriel Harner Balfour. They moved to Moiese, Montana where Elda grew up on the family farm. She attended high school in Charlo Montana and graduated from Montana Normal College (now University of Montana Western) in Dillon. She was an elementary teacher in Bridger and then moved to Medicine Lake. In Dillon she met William Drew. They were married on April 4, 1952. They moved to Bill's hometown, Butte, where they settled and raised a family of ten children.

Elda was a stay-at-home mom for about twenty years, and then went back to school for additional education to be able to return to teaching. She taught at the Grant School and the Margaret Leary School. She also taught religion classes at St. John the Evangelist church. After twenty-one years in the classroom, she retired from the Butte School District in 1993.

Elda had a very optimistic outlook, living each day to its fullest. Her illuminating smile brightened every room and she always saw the bright side of any situation. She enjoyed reading, sewing, and cooking, emulating her mother and gardening, following in the footsteps of her father. She also expressed herself by sketching, drawing and painting. She always had time to help others, volunteering in many of the different activities throughout the community.

Family gatherings were an important aspect of her life and she looked forward to the summer when members of the family could visit and relax at their cabin on Echo Lake. She liked walking, swimming and Tai Chi. She attended the Community Concerts for more than fifty years. Elda and Bill especially enjoyed their two trips to Europe.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her parents Alden and Muriel, and her brother Monte Balfour.

She is survived by son and daughter-in-law Paul and Cheryl Drew (Butte), daughter and son-in-law Kathleen and Kevin Thompson (Ocean Shores, WA), son and daughter-in-law Brian and Roberta Drew (Billings), son and daughter-in-law Stephen and Jamie Drew (Missoula), daughter and son-in-law Alice and Bob Davies (Butte), daughter and son-in-law Monica and Doug Smith (Lindale, TX), daughter and son-in-law Mary and Merritt Fairbrook (North Bend, WA), son Mark Drew (Kalispell), son and daughter-in-law Thomas and Karen Drew (Laramie, WY), and son Joe Drew (Wisdom). She is also survived by twenty-seven grand-children and eleven great-grand-children.

Relatives and friends may call Tuesday from 10:00Am to 11:00AM in St. Patrick's Church for visitations. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00AM.   Rite of Committal will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Butte Food Bank or a charity of your choice.