E. Louise (Flechtner) Brierton

E. Louise Brierton passed from this earth and went to her final judgement on May 5, 2020. She was born April 29, 1921 in Twin Falls, Idaho, daughter of Gustav and Sadie (Pilster) Flechtner. Her father was a concert violinist as well as an orchestra conductor. He taught at the Oregon City Conservatory of Music and was associated with the Portland, Oregon Symphony prior to 1917. He re-located to Twin Falls due to the ill health of his wife and took a job as a music teacher and band leader at several public schools in Twin Falls and Jerome, Idaho. To earn extra money for the family, he worked at night as a violinist for a silent theatre in Jerome. Louise and her sister, Augusta worked summers after high school at Sun Valley Idaho. Louise then represented Sun Valley and the State of Idaho at the 1939 Miss America Pageant where she was voted 5th runner up to Miss America. During the talent portion of the pageant, she played Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust on the clarinet which her father had given her as a child. She attended Reed College in Portland, and later graduated from Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA in July, 1944. Louise met her husband, Dr. John F. Brierton at a football game in the autumn of 1942. They were married March 20, 1943. Shortly thereafter, then naval Lt. John F. Brierton was assigned to duty as a chest surgeon in the naval hospital on Espiritu Santo Island in the New Hebrides near Australia. Louise re-united with her husband when he returned from the war with a depressed skull fracture. They were never separated again until his death on May 15, 1996. Louise raised four children with her husband in Johnstown. She served as his sole care-giver during his ten year struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. Prior to that, she spent nine years working in his medical office as a secretary and receptionist. After more than 58 years as a homemaker, wife, and mother living at 112 Weaver Court  in Southmont, Louise spent her final 10 years as a resident of Laurel View Village, where she was lovingly cared for by many good Christians. She has traveled far and given her best. Now it is time for her to go home. Louise was preceded in death by her parents; husband; her sisters, Augusta Conger and Mildred O’Connor; her brothers, Alfred and Paul Flechtner, her daughter, Joan Brierton Johnson, her son-in-law, James Zellers; and her great grandson, Nathan Harney. She is survived by her son, Robert (Ann), Johnstown; daughters, Ann Brierton Zellers, Palos Verdes, CA; Louise Brierton Michaud (Mark), Austin, TX; eight grandchildren, Elizabeth Brierton Puckett, Kathryn Brierton Harney, Margaret Brierton Gallen, Travis Johnson, Sabrina Johnson, Caitlin Zellers, Justin Michaud, and Nathan Michaud, as well as nine great grandchildren, Jack Cox, Lila Cox, Jacob Harney, Ryland Harney, William Gallen, Abigail Gallen, Colin Gallen, Annabelle Michaud, and James Michaud. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, a private graveside service will be held at Grandview Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Laurel View Village Caring Fund. John Henderson Company Funeral Home, 215 Central Ave., is serving the Brierton family.

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