Lois used to be a kindergarten teacher. That probably says it all. Lois loves kids. Her husband, Everett, loved children, too. The couple lived life side by side for over 60 years – raising children and growing several businesses from the ground up. “We worked all hours of the night together, and that was all right because we were always working together.”
Lois and Everett also shared a heart for the less fortunate. “If there was anybody that was down and out, he was there for them.” So when Everett died, Lois wanted to honor his memory by investing in the lives of the children at the UGM Center for Women & Children in Coeur d’Alene.
“I was so thrilled when I heard that UGM was going in here. When I heard about the women who were just cast out of their homes and were homeless, I realized how much this would mean, and I got so excited.”
Lois’s regular gas station is just around the corner from the Center, so during construction, she would drive by the site on a regular basis, watching the progress.
On a recent visit, Lois had the opportunity to see the children’s area she helped to create, and even better, she got to meet the children who call the Center home.
“It’s such a thrill because my heart’s in there.”
6 min read
From 2001 to 2026 This year, Union Gospel Mission of the Inland Northwest celebrates 75 years of changing lives in our communities. Over the years,...
1 min read
Phil Altmeyer, Executive Director, Leanne White, Content and Communications Specialist: June 4, 2026
In the 1980s, I was part of Campus Crusade, a ministry working with students—future leaders—on a college campus, believing they'd make an impact on...
5 min read
In our previous newsletter, we reflected on the Mission’s early years—those initial twenty-five years driven by courageous women and men who launched...
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Union Gospel Mission : August 1, 2013
Help children staying at UGM shelters begin the school year on the right foot with all the necessary school supplies.
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Union Gospel Mission : September 1, 2012
Over 300 people came to celebrate the dedication of the new Center for Women and Children in Coeur d’Alene. Area mayors, county commissioners,...
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Union Gospel Mission : June 20, 2014
Editor's Note: Roxanne Jenkins graduated from the UGM LIFE Recovery program on June 17, 2014. In this short graduation speech, she turns the focus...
