Tehachapi's Online Community News & Entertainment Guide
Celebration of Life
Our beloved mother, Olena Louise Evenson Cain, passed away on July 9 in her home in Tehachapi. She recently celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends which was such a joy to her and everyone who knew her. Louise was born March 1, 1922, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to parents Edwin Evenson and Lucy Beryl Fox. She had four siblings: Raymond Evenson, Beryl Lewis, Blanche Clayton, and Edwin "Ted" Evenson.
Louise grew up in the Santa Monica/Mar Vista area of Los Angeles. She graduated from Venice High School at age 16 and attended UCLA and Santa Monica City College until her marriage to Maslen Cooper Cain on June 12, 1940 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Their children were born in the Mar Vista area of Los Angeles and are: Carolyn Louise Cain (Lamar) Bartholomew, Margaret Ann Cain (Leon) Dries, David Maslen Cain (Ginger Opp), Shirley May Cain (Thomas) Brunner and Barbara Cain (Dane) Chapman. Louise has 27 grandchildren and 67 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Maslen Cooper Cain in 1999, her daughter, Shirley, in 2017, and her parents and siblings.
After she and her husband moved to Georgia in 1963, she continued her education and received a teaching degree from Oglethorpe University in Georgia. She taught elementary school in Marietta, Georgia and then Lancaster, California for a total of 19 years. Louise was a lifetime learner and giver of her talents.
In 1975, Louise and Maslen bought an apple orchard near Brite Lake in Tehachapi. They shared their apples with family and friends, making apple cider and canning applesauce and apple pie filling. It was at this time in her life that she learned to love quilting and gardening. She was instrumental in forming clubs for these interests that are still active in Tehachapi. In 1987, Louise and Maslen served a 6-month mission in Texas for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Family was her greatest joy in life. Her descendants have fond memories of visiting grandma and grandpa at "Adam's Apple Ranch." She greeted family and friends with a warm welcome and delicious treats. Making homemade toffee at Christmas and playing games like Skip-Bo, Scrabble and Sequence will be remembered by all. Louise had a zest for learning and strove for continual self-improvement, even trying to read and memorize scriptures days before her passing.
Louise was buried next to her eternal companion, Maslen, on Friday, Aug. 5 at the Eastside Cemetery, 820 Burnett Rd. A Memorial Service to celebrate her life will be on Saturday, Aug. 6 at 1 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse on 600 Anita Dr., Tehachapi. Family and friends are invited to all events.
Wood Family Funeral Service has been entrusted with her care. For condolences, please visit http://www.woodmortuary.net. Wood Family Funeral Services practice social distancing and wearing face masks/coverings is highly recommended.