Zillah, WA - Gregory John Elsen, a humble and quiet farm boy known as the Tree Whisperer, and Grandfather Christmas, went to the big farm in the sky on July 14, 2025. Born in Madison Minnesota on March 15, 1932 to Clarence Elsen and Nina (Schacher) Elsen, he was born third in a family of six: Claude, Pat, Greg, Ed, Lorrie, and Skip.

Growing up on a large farm with cows, pigs, and chickens provided many opportunities for mischief, eventually planting seeds of playfulness with his children, setting up generations of fun-loving antics. Greg attended a one room schoolhouse, then Catholic school before graduation from high school. He rode to high school in a Model T with a crankshaft start, which sometimes led to broken arms or wrists, and Greg's constant entertainment. Following graduation, Greg farmed with his father, enjoying "a good shop" to repair equipment, which he enjoyed immensely. When his brother Ed graduated from high school in 1952, Greg enlisted into the Air Force and is rich with stories. He frequently spoke of flying over Texas in a C-54 with no pressurized cabin: he could look out the cracks in the aircraft skin and see the land below. Greg worked on both C-54 and C-118 aircraft, loving almost every minute of it. The Air Force turned out to be a five-day work week, something new to Greg. While stationed in Texas, Greg met Floyd, a man who forever changed Greg's life. Floyd was married and his wife had a sister, Janet. And that's how the courtship began; it was during his transfer to McCord Air Force Base in Washington that he actually met Janet. She had just gotten off work, and Greg asked Janet if she would like a ride back home on the back of his motorcycle. Janet hopped on, and on the first corner, Janet just happened to slide off the back of Greg's bike. With no hesitation, Janet climbed back on; off they went. For the three years Greg was stationed at McCord, having a motorcycle and free time, every Friday night, it was "here we come, Yakima". After a two-year courtship with Janet they married in October 1955 and started a family; Chuck was born in Washington. After being honorably discharged from the Air Force, the family moved back to farm in Minnesota, as Ed had enlisted into the Marines for four years so it was Greg's turn to farm once again. While in Minnesota, Carol and Rose were born. In 1960, Greg moved the family to Sawyer and started working in new house construction, then at a block manufacturing plant near Zillah where he repaired equipment as well as running the plant. Greg bought a five-acre farm north of Zillah; with about two acres of Winesap apples. Greg thought he would get rich; it didn't happen. This was also about the time Greg started managing orchards. In Minnesota where it gets cold in winter, his mother always told him "close the door, you can't heat up the outside". In the Spring in Washington, if you have an orchard you don't believe this; Greg spent a lot of spring nights trying to heat the outside. In the 70's, Greg decided to pull the apple trees and grow hay and calves, which allowed Chuck to have an FFA calf project. In 1980, Greg had a wild idea to plant Christmas trees. Sounded like a good idea: plant and wait for harvest and get rich. Turns out there's more to it than that. The best part was that he could buy a tractor. Greg, Janet, and the family started Triangle Christmas Trees. When Greg needed a piece of equipment for the tree farm, he became an innovator and creator of numerous unique pieces of equipment for the farm. Each tree was special to Greg; he talked to them as he worked pruning and shaping his trees. For the next forty-five years, Greg and Triangle Christmas Tree Farm had been the subject of numerous newspaper articles typically focusing on Greg's deep love for his trees, and how happy the trees made families feel. "It is important that families make memories and go home with a nice tree... Everyone goes away happy, so that's the important part." Loved by all who know him, he will be missed dearly. In his words, "have conversations that begin with "remember when". Greg's loss will be sorely felt by the community he loved, the friends he made, the dearest of which are Sally, John, Andrea, and Arlene. Greg is preceded in death by his daughter Rose Masengale and wife Janet Elsen. Greg is survived by his son Charles Elsen (Spokane), daughter Carol Lansdown (Dale), Cassville MO, sister Skip Olson, grandchildren Sean Masengale, Ryan Masengale, Nikkia Sanchez, Elisa Lansdown, Jalishia Janet Rose Lansdown, and one great-granddaughter, Sameria Lansdown.