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Lillian
Ellefson, 87
Grand
Forks, N.D. - Lillian Ellefson, 87, died on
Friday, December 20, 2002 at Altru Hospital in
Grand Forks, N.D.
Funeral
services were held on Friday, December 27 at
Riverside Lutheran Church in Wannaska. Interment
was in the Gust National Cemetery in
Benwood.
Lillian
Raichl was born on September 13, 1915, the daughter
of John and Rosalia (Hovlicek) Raichl in Poplar
Grover Township. She grew up on the farm and helped
with farm duties, including driving tractor and
milking cows. She graduated from the eighth grade
at Sunshine School. She met Melvin Ellefson, who
was in the Army and was stationed at various bases
around the United States. While on leave from his
base, Melvin and Lillian were married in Roseau on
January 24, 1945. She returned to his post, where
she worked as a waitress and also managed a
restaurant. The couple then moved to California,
where he was stationed.
After
his honorable discharge, Melvin and Lillian
returned to Middle River and started farming. In
1952, they bought a farm in Poplar Grove Township
and raised their family. They received the
Outstanding Dairy Award in 1961. Lillian wrote the
"Benwood News" for the Roseau, Greenbush and Badger
papers for 38 years. She was president of the WFLA
Lodge #219 from 1958 to 1991, and a member since
1933. She was instrumental in helping with the
Roseau County Heritage Book. During the Cold War,
Lillian volunteered with the America Red Cross. She
was a janitor for the Grass Lake Schools, worked at
North Star Pavilion on Sunday nights for many
years, at the Turkey Plat in Greenbush and in the
potato fields in Karlstad.
Lillian
enjoyed gardening, baking, cooking, fishing,
canning and she loved spending time with her
family. She also enjoyed visiting with friends and
neighbors, game shows, soap operas and feeding the
birds.
Survivors
include her children, Helen (Russell) Glen of
Bemidji, Rose (Lowell) Scramstad of Middle River,
Linda (Ron) Johnson of Thief River Falls and Melvin
John (DaLonna) Ellefson of Roseau; ten
grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; sisters,
Mary Pesak of Fairbault, Emma Gust of Greenbush,
Agnes Stelik of Portland, Ore. and Frances Forst of
Strathcona; a sister-in-law; and numerous nieces,
nephews and other relatives.
Lillian
was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin; a
grandson; her parents; sisters, Annie Svir, Rose
Gust and Helen and Elsie Raichl; and a brother,
Johnny Raichl. A00003B2003JA01
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