Funeral services for Elsie Eva Stern, 88, longtime farm wife near Mott, will be Friday, April 17, at 10 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Mott. Rev. John Amundson will officiate and burial will be at a later date at the Sunnyslope Cemetery in Mott. Visitations will be from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Mott and one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday morning.
Elsie Eva Schock was born on July 15, 1920 to Karl and Barbara (Nathan) Schock on the family farmstead north of Elgin. She grew up on the farm with her six brothers and five sisters. Life was hard, but very fulfilling because of the great interaction between the family members. Much time was spent with the whole family singing and playing various musical instruments
Elsie worked on the family farm while trying to fit in country schooling. She went to school by horse and buggy or bobsled, which her brothers drove. Elsie regretted not being able to go to high school and had to stay at home and help her mother with the family's everyday needs and chores. She often talked about cooking with her mother, which in turn transformed her into a fantastic cook and provider for her future family.
After meeting her future husband at the Stone Church gathering and short courtship, Elsie married Reinhold F. Stern "Ole" on June 26, 1940 at Ebenezer Congregational Church.
With a heifer and a calf given to them as a wedding present from her father, she started her married life with Reiny, first at her husband's parent's family homestead, for three years, then at their own place a short distance away, where she lived all her life.
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Elsie and Reiny had three sons, Curtis LeRoy, Gary Lee and James Harold. Scraping out a living was tough, but Elsie and her husband managed to do so, raising their own garden, beef, hogs and various feathered cuisine. Later, Elsie found employment at the Curve Nightclub, and later at the Hotel in Mott.
After retiring, Elsie and Reiny enjoyed traveling and just plain visiting with people. They enjoyed going to the Sunshine Mine in Montana every year and meeting up with various relatives for a week of reminiscing and singing. From there they would go to Washington and spend time with Cousin Harry and Joan, where they would travel around the west coast with them. They would also go to Iowa and Kansas to their sons' places and enjoy their grandchildren.
Later, Elsie and Reiny enjoyed staying home and having their family visit them whenever they could.
Elsie enjoyed spending her last years living on the family farm and after losing her husband in 2006 and with her health slowly fading, she was forced to move into the Good Samaritan Society Nursing Home in Mott.
Having lived there for 15 months and enjoying her new found friends, she passed away on Easter morning, April 12, 2009 with her son by her side.
Elsie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, five brothers, two sisters and one grandchild. Elsie will be laid to rest beside her husband of 66 years at the Sunnyslope Cemetery.
Celebrating her life are her three sons, Curtis (Judy) Stern, of Lohrville, Iowa, Gary (Malinda) Stern, of Olathe, Kan. and Jim Stern, of Mott; three sisters; one brother; three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and her many other relatives and friends.
Condolences to Elsie's family may be sent through our website at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com .
