Elaine (Anderson) Mansius was born November 21, 1924, and lived in Preston, Idaho. She attended the University of Idaho from 1942 to 1946. She first lived in Forney Hall, but was later transferred to the Beta Theta Phi house, known as Mary House. She met her husband, Charles A. Mansius of Buffalo, New York, when he was on campus as part of the ASTP program. They were married on her graduation day, June 3, 1946. Since it was difficult to obtain housing and to be admitted into universities after World War II, they lived with her parents in Preston for a year while Charlie taught school. Their first child, Charlene, was born in Preston in March 1947. In June they returned to Moscow and the University of Idaho where Charlie worked on his B.S. and M.S. degrees. A son, David, was born in May of 1951, and after graduation they moved to Richland, WA, where Charlie had a job on the Hanford Project.
The papers of Elaine (Anderson) Mansius consist of letters written to her parents detailing her experiences as a student at the University of Idaho from 1942 to 1946, and as a young wife and mother in Moscow while her husband attended college, 1947-1951. Also included are such college memorabilia as play programs, newspaper clippings, invitations, dance programs, and membership certificates. The final items are income tax returns for Charles and Elaine Mansius for the years 1949 and 1950.
Elaine Mansius sent her University of Idaho correspondence and memorabilia to Professor Peter Haggart of the School of Communications in January 1992; he transferred the material to the University Library in August 1993.
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