Mart Elis Ilves

September 16, 1945 - July 31, 2025

Beloved father, son, brother and friend, Mart “Elis” Ilves, 79, of Valley, Washington passed away peacefully on July 31, 2025, at Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chewelah, Washington with his daughter, Rachel, by his side.  Elis was born in Valdemarsvik, Sweden on September 16, 1945, to Heinrich and Angela (Tiik) Ilves.  Elis and his father, mother and two sisters, Marje and Eve, immigrated from Sweden to the United States, by boat, on May 7, 1956.   Upon arrival to the United States, Elis and his family lived in Albany, New York for several months with his father’s family, who previously immigrated from Estonia and Sweden.  Later, Elis and his family moved to Loma Linda, California to live with his mother’s parents.

While living in Sweden, Elis enjoyed school and being outside in nature and participated in several activities including skiing, ice-skating and hockey.  Elis developed a great love for planes and electronic and mechanical machines.  Elis attended Cope Junior high school in Redlands, California and later graduated from Redlands High School in 1966.   During high school Elis continued to explore his interests in electronics and mechanics and in his spare time he would repair radios, work on cars and build and fly model planes.  Following his high school graduation, Elis attended college, taking several college courses, and continued to explore his passion for electronics, including teaching himself how to build and fix car engines and a variety of electronic gadgets.  Elis’s love for music led him to learn how to play guitar and he occasionally filled in as guitarist with his friend’s band, playing around the Inland Empire area.  Elis loved to listen to music and play a variety of musical artists, but he especially loved the music of Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Denver, Elvis Presley, George Jones and Kenny Rogers.

On May 1, 1976, Elis married Karen Wiles of San Bernardino, California and happily assumed the role of stepfather to her daughter, Laura.  The following year in September, Elis and Karen welcomed their daughter, Rachel.   As a family, they enjoyed attending family gatherings and being at home together along with traveling to Oak Glen on the weekends and many camping trips to Yosemite National Park in their Jeep Wagoneer and trailer, fondly referred to as “The Bear Family”.   

Later, Elis left California to pursue a simpler life in the country and resided in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, serving as Sexton at St. John’s Episcopal Church, for many years.  After his time in Wyoming, Elis moved to Valley, Washington where he owned and operated his own landscaping business providing lawn care services to local clients until he retired.  Elis continued to work on his own vehicles and often would fix vehicles for his friends and neighbors.

Elis especially loved America, classic cars and animals.  Elis became a proud citizen of the United States in 1966 and while he still spoke his native language, Estonian, with family and relatives, he learned English and loved living in the United States.  Elis owned several classic cars throughout his life, though his pride and joy was restoring a blue 1964 Chevrolet sedan, which he proudly drove for many years.  Throughout Elis’s life he had several family pets, cats and dogs, and fondly treasured his pets as members of his family. 

Elis is survived by his daughter; Rachel (Brett) Jordan of Hacienda Heights, California, stepdaughter; Laura Chandler-Whitehead, of Dana Point, California, sister; Eve (Jim) Mancha, of Redlands, California and his former spouse; Karen Franklin, of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Elis is preceded in death by his mother and father; Angela and Heinrich Ilves of Loma Linda, California and sisters; Marje Wolfson of Oceanside, California and Astrid Ilves of Saaremaa, Estonia.

A Celebration of Life to honor Elis will be held in southern California later.  Family and close friends will be provided details about the Celebration of Life once a date and location are established.  In lieu of flowers the family requests donations can be made to Colville Valley Animal Sanctuary in Colville, Washington.