Lila was born on September 5, 1925, in Chaseley, North Dakota to Conrad and Ida Erfle. She grew up on the family wheat farm in Fessenden, North Dakota, the 2nd of 5 brothers and sisters, Otto, Mavis, Doug, and Melvin. She often talked about the hard winters and when the snow would drift against the side of the barn, high enough that Lila and her siblings could climb up to the top of the barn and slide down on grain shovels.
At 17 years old, she married Herbert Hirschkorn and they had three children, Barbara, Gerald and Keith. One of their first homes was near the Auburn Academy and they moved to the Enumclaw Plateau in 1970. They were members of the Royal Roadrunners and Enumclaw Roadrunners – camping, hunting and fishing, travelling all around the US and Canada. They travelled the Al-Can highway on epic fishing trips where they had many flat tires and canned the salmon they caught at the campsite. Many fond memories were made when Herb and Lila travelled to Hawaii over the years and would bring salmon for BBQ’s with their friends on the island.
Lila worked as cook at the Enumclaw Care Home and was a Moosette at the Enumclaw Moose Lodge, where you could see her cooking hotdogs and burgers for bingo night and showcasing her delicious homemade treats at bake sales. She also volunteered at the Enumclaw Senior Center, enjoyed garage sales and doing ceramics with friends.
Lila was an avid gardener and enjoyed growing veggies and flowers. Beautiful peonies, hydrangea and lilies and indoors she grew Christmas cactus and African violets. She also enjoyed harvesting and canning with her family. She could always be counted on to help with snapping beans and stuffing jars. Her jars were always the fullest and just when you didn’t think anything else could fit, she would work in another bean. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday – we will miss her turkey gravy.
One of her greatest joys was being a grandma, especially being a great grandma. She always made the best desserts, homemade rice krispie treats, cookies, pies and kuchen.
Lila is survived by her brother Melvin Erfle (Jan Erfle), son Keith Hirschkorn (Gina Maroni), granddaughter Jessica Freier (Joe Freier), her grandsons Steve Smith (Larry Legler), Jeff Smith-Waiss (Ari Waiss), Daniel Hirschkorn and Great Grandson, Michael Freier. Lila was preceded in death by her husband, Herbert Hirschkorn, her daughter Barbara Smith, and her son Gerald Hirschkorn. For Lila, family relationships mattered the most. She was a pillar of support, always there for her loved ones. Lila Hirschkorn
