Caribou Gear

Ode to Uncle Elton

I've copied this from the first post of this thread.

...... A little background to this story and why it was so much fun for me.

My mom has a large family; six brothers and one sister. One of her brothers, Elt, has been like a big brother to me. When I was a teenager and we lived in northern Minnesota, we spent every day possible, hunting, fishing, and trapping; mostly looking for reasons to leave the logging jobs early and do something we both loved far more than falling and skidding Jackpine. My parents divorced when I was eleven years old. Elt was there to make sure I never found the trouble that was always just around the corner.

Roll forward to 2012. Elt had just retired, having worked extra jobs his entire life, volunteering for any overtime, selling firewood, trapping, or whatever would provide him a few extra dollars that would hopefully allow him the opportunity to do more hunting, fishing, and trapping when he retired. Elt had been experiencing some headaches and vision changes that last few months of his work. Docs did an MRI and the next day they called him to come for a meeting. And, they instructed that he bring his wife, Barb. Bad news. He was diagnosed with glioblastoma - cancerous brain tumor.

Within a couple days, he was in surgery to remove a tumor the size of a hot dog. The tumor went from the top of his right ear, forward to above his eyes. It left a huge zipper scar from behind his ear, over the crown of his head. The surgery was followed by six weeks of radiation and a longer period of chemo. Even with subjecting himself to all the pain and misery those treatments impose; the docs only gave him about six months. They did not expect him to see Christmas of 2012.

Well, the docs probably have never had a patient as determined and bull-headed as Elt. He is still kicking, but in pretty rough shape. He did make it to Christmas 2012, and amazingly, Christmas of 2013. Attitude and determination can overcome a lot. His short-term memory is non-existent, but his long-term is remarkably good. His physical motor skills are much diminished.

Elt and Barb came to visit us just after Christmas. They live in eastern Idaho, so it is only four hours from our place to theirs. During that visit, Elt mentioned how frustrating it was that he was no longer able to trap, the activity he was always most passionate about. It was not unusual for him to catch 100+ beaver, 50+ red fox, 70-80 mink, and assorted other critters that were on the lines he was running. Thanks to good fur prices, there was always a little extra for Christmas at his house.

Seeing the look of despair as Elt told of his desire to go on a trap line again gave me an idea. I called a couple people I knew had spring creeks on their property and inquired if they had any muskrat issues. Besides my love of water trapping, muskrats are easy enough that it would be terrain where Elt could tag along, even with his impaired mobility. Not a chance he could do anything in the mountains. He needs a cane to get around, and even with that, his balance is very bad and his feet are pretty much numb from chemo.
Click to expand...

Uncle Elt left us this morning. A sense of relief for his family, as much as a sense of loss.

Over the last few months, his family faced an ugly time of watching him in bad physical pain, memory challenges, personality changes, and the many things known all too well by those who have had a family member go through terminal cancer. As many know, cancer is a disease fought by the entire family; in this case, his wife, two daughters, and his son bearing a load that seemed so blatantly unfair.

May his traps be full, his lines be tight, and his guitar always be nearby.

1974
Elt Randy 1974.jpg

1998
Randy Elt 1998.jpg

2014
IMG_2440.JPG
 
Very sorry for you loss. I know how bad cancer sucks. I watched my mother and father fight it for 5 years, sitting next to each other for six hours wrapped in a blanket taking their chemo treatments. They ended up passing less than a year apart. I Thank God for the memories I have and the knowledge that we will be together again.
 
Sorry Randy. I know all too well the feelings of Elton's family. I watched cancer take the life of the toughest man I've ever known, my father. My prayers are with his family. mtmuley
 
Randy, My condolences to you and your family on the loss of your uncle. May God comfort all of you during this time.
 
Sorry Randy, the cancer battle is an ugly one that I don't wish on anyone. My prayers for you and your family.
 
The memories I have of time with Elt are summed up pretty well during Season 3 of OYOA, Nevada Mule Deer. Time with Elt was always fun when he got out his guitar in the evening. Take a look at that video here on this site if you have not already. I thank Randy for providing this record for all of us to enjoy...forever.
 
jerreep said:
The memories I have of time with Elt are summed up pretty well during Season 3 of OYOA, Nevada Mule Deer. Time with Elt was always fun when he got out his guitar in the evening. Take a look at that video here on this site if you have not already. I thank Randy for providing this record for all of us to enjoy...forever.
Click to expand...

Here is a clip from that hunt that did not make the final episode. When you listen, you will see why, but hopefully realize how much fun in was to be around Elt in hunting camps, fishing trip, or just a gathering of family and friends.

WARNING - A bit of an adult story line, though free of profanity.

Elt, as is the same with me, Jereep, MNtaxidermist, and others was/are very proud of our Big Falls upbringing. We were all poor. We were all from the wrong side of the tracks. But, we didn't know any different, and quite honestly, we really didn't care. Something about the place, the people, and the unique culture it had will always make Big Falls "home."

For a town of 500 people, it probably had as colorful of characters as any place in America. If reality TV was a fad in the 1970's, Big Falls would have been ground zero. This is a song Elt wrote that not only reflects the fun-loving culture of Big Falls, but was one of many songs he used as an outlet for his amazing storytelling talents. He wrote this one while in Vietnam and played it as his entry to a talent show. Rumor was, it was a great hit with the soldiers, sailors, and marines.

The Boys From Big Falls

Elt Vimeo.jpg

The two characters in the background of this clip are NVLongbow and Jereep, both fine storytellers in their own right.
 
Glad you had him in your life for as long as you did, and he was as impactful as he was. God speed Uncle Elton.
 
Randy - sorry for your loss, seemed like a hell of a guy. Fantastic you have those videos available to reflect upon forever. Priceless.
 
Thanks for sharing the video, Randy. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family and his friends.
 
Sorry for your loss Randy. Your stories/videos have brought Uncle Elt into our lives. It would have been nice to share a campfire with him. Thanks for sharing!
 
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