Library sparks Elsaesser's drive to help others

"The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library."  Albert Einstein.

When Jean Elsaesser moved to Priest River in 1977, the Priest River library consisted of a single room in the City Hall stocked with donated books and staffed by volunteers. There was no library for people living in the Blanchard area. Jean describes how a person had to have two people vouch for them to get a library card. 

The single-room Priest River library “sparked a vision in Jean. A vision she would have the courage and leadership to act on,” friend Pat Bowen wrote in her nomination letter.

Due in large part to Jean’s unremitting efforts, beginning with the formation of a Friends of the Library organization in 1998 and continuing for more than twenty years, the city of Priest River now boasts a beautiful new library that is not only the center of the downtown redevelopment project but, coupled with the Blanchard facility, provides full library services to all West Bonner County. 

These libraries are tangible reflections of Jean’s leadership and her commitment to her community and will be part of her legacy. The Women Honoring Women Committee honors Jean Elsaesser with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her dedication to the betterment of her community.

Jean Grinkis Elsaesser was born July 18, 1951, in Sterling, Mass. She graduated valedictorian from Marion Catholic High School in 1969. She attended Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., earning a BA in education and a K-8 teaching certificate. She met fellow student Ford Elsaesser at Goddard and they married in 1973. Jean and Ford moved west to Idaho in 1975 when Ford was accepted at the U of I Law School. In 1977, Ford joined the Cook and Lamanna law firm and the couple moved to Priest River.

Jean was hired as a seventh-grade teacher at Idaho Hill. After her first child, Matthew, was born in 1981, Jean retired from teaching. Matthew was followed by Heidi in 1983, and Katie in 1986. Jean volunteered in her kids’ schools, managed two Girl Scout Troops, and one Boy Scout Troop and was a 4-H mom. She also commuted to Whitworth College where she took evening accounting classes in preparation for taking and ultimately passing the national certification exam and becoming a Certified Public Accountant. Jean has provided accounting services to families and businesses throughout Bonner County for forty years. 

Jean served as a library friend, a volunteer, a treasurer,  a general manager, a board member and as the general manager on a library remodel. She recounts how the Priest River and Blanchard libraries were conceived and constructed in large part through donations of land, volunteer labor, grants, and community fundraisers. Today Jean enjoys watching children come into the library for books, programs, and computers. She reflects that they have no idea that a library did not exist with these services not so very long ago.

Jean is passionate about elections. “I believe that elections are very important and wish to see people come in, register with a minimum of fuss, and vote easily.” In 1982, Jean began working as an election volunteer for the East Priest River Precinct. She started in the counting room and became chief judge in the mid-nineties. She still serves in that position today. 

Jean’s other passions include reading, teaching, and traveling. She states that any activity that combines those three things is her idea of perfect. Jean and Ford just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to Maui accompanied by their children and grandchildren. Not many couples are as committed to their community and as generous with their time and resources as Jean and Ford Elsaesser. From the West Bonner Library District, to the Heart Ball, to the Festival at Sandpoint, to the Bonner County 4-H Livestock Auction, a myriad of community organizations has benefitted from the Elsaessers’ generosity. 

A gala bunch honoring Jean and her fellow recipients and celebrating the 25th anniversary of Women Honoring Women will take place June 15 at the Ponderay Events Center. Reservations will be accepted until Friday, June 7, from Diane Stockton at 208-290-6362 or stockton_diane@yahoo.com.