Jay Bernard Elsner

One of the Good Guys, “that’s what she said”, Jay Bernard Elsner passed away unexpectedly on December 18, 2016. Jay was born in LaMoure, North Dakota to Paul and Margaret (Knudsen) Elsner on May 15, 1959. Jay graduated from Central Valley High School (once a Bear always a Bear) where he was on the varsity wrestling team. During his senior year, Jay met his first love (Tammy Mackleit), the mother of his children, Carmen and Jay R. During high school Jay had a magnitude of friends who he stayed close to for all these years. Jay and Tammy divorced and then Jay met his second love, Marie Brumfield. During their 18 years, Marie and Jay together helped raise Carmen and Jay R. With Marie’s help and support Jay completed his schooling where he received a certification for Pharmacy Technician. Jay has worked at Omnicare for the past 15 years where he developed a close knit work family.

Jay’s love for sports included officiating wrestling for 15 years, coaching his son’s baseball, the love for the Washington Huskies, Seattle Mariners, Seattle Seahawks, and Gonzaga Bulldogs, as we all know from his sports updates on Facebook. Throughout the years he could always be found on the sidelines cheering on his son’s, nieces, and grandchildren’s sporting events.

Jay battled juvenile diabetes from 12 years of age. More than willing to save her son, in October 1992 Jay’s mother, Marge, donated one of her kidneys. Twenty two years later, Jay’s daughter Carmen donated one of her kidneys to help save her dad as well.

The family would like to recognize Dr. Robert Benedetti, “Dr. B” for his wonderful care he gave Jay over the years. They spent many “office visits” discussing scores of games and their mutual love for the Washington Huskies. He was a wonderful nephrologist and friend and we are forever thankful for his professional and personal relationship to Jay.

Jay is survived by his father Paul (wife Ginger), brother David (wife Sandy), daughter Carmen (husband Scott), son Jay R. (wife Sarah), grandsons Logan, Tolliver, MacKay, granddaughters Riann and Savanna, nephews Justin and Brandon, niece Mariah and many aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family and friends. He is preceded in death by his mother, Margaret.

Memorial services will be held at Thornhill Valley Funeral Chapel on January 7, 2017 at 2 o’clock. A celebration of life will follow at Center Place Regional Event Center at 4 o’clock. In lieu of flowers we suggest donations to National Kidney Foundation www.kidney.org, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation www.jdrf.org, or LifeCenter Northwest, www.lcnw.org.