Obituaries from the week of June 28, 2006

Elaine E. Dent, 99

Funeral services were held on Saturday, June 24, 2006 for Elaine Dent at Tracy Lutheran Church. Rev. Gary Gabel officiated. Richard Stelter was organist.

Casket bearers were her nephews Donald Roby and Jerome Roby.

Elaine Ebba Dent was born October 21, 1906 to Jacob and Amanda (Thesen) Nelson on the family farm in Ann Township, Cottonwood County, MN. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith at Old Westbrook Lutheran Church and attended country school. As a young woman she moved to Minneapolis where she worked until meeting her future husband.

Elaine married Paul Dent in Missouri and they made their home in Sedelia, Missouri. They owned and operated a motel for many years before retiring to Tampa, Florida in the 1950’s. After Paul’s death on June 4, 1963 Elaine moved back to Minneapolis and shared an apartment with her sister Ruth. In the mid 1990’s she moved to Tracy, Minnesota and in January of 2001 Elaine became a resident of the Prairie View Healthcare Center in Tracy.

She was a past member of Old Westbrook Lutheran Church and a current member of Tracy Lutheran Church. Over the years, Elaine was active in her churches while living in Tampa and Minneapolis. She will be remembered as an accomplished artist in oil painting.

On Thursday, June 22, 2006 Elaine died at the Prairie View Healthcare Center at the age of 99.

Elaine is survived by one sister, Hazel Takle of Walnut Grove, MN and several nieces and nephews.

Her parents, husband, Paul, two brothers, Arild and Herman and four sisters, Ruth, Bernice, Alice and Avis preceded her in death.

Interment was in Old Westbrook Lutheran Cemetery, Ann Township, with the Almlie Funeral Home of Tracy handling the arrangements.

Eunice Swan, 80

Funeral services were held on today, Wednesday, June 27, 2006 at Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton, MN for Eunice Swan. Rev. Ted Kunze officiated. Organist was LaDean Lang with Rev. A. R. Sellevold as soloist.

Casket bearers were Dennis Swan, Harris Swan, Bob Moline, Sheldon Swan, Dennis Opdahl and Tracy Nelson.

Eunice Naomi Swan was born on May 9, 1926 in Tracy, Minnesota to Martin and Hazel Anderson Nelson. She grew up on a farm near Garvin, MN, attended country school in Lake Sarah Township, Murray County, MN and graduated from Tracy High School in 1944. After graduation, she worked at the Slayton Home Hospital as a nurse’s aide.

Eunice was united in marriage to Charles V. Swan, a farmer from rural Slayton, MN, on June 16, 1946 at Hoiland Lutheran Church at rural Garvin, MN. Since their marriage, Eunice has been a devoted wife and homemaker for 60 years.

She was hospitalized at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD in December 2005. She became a resident of Slayton Manor in January 2006 and passed away there on June 24, 2006, at the age of 80, following a long and courageous battle with lymphoma.

Eunice was a member of Christ Lutheran Church where she had served as a Sunday school teacher, Ladies’ Aide president, on numerous committees and performed many helping activities in more than a half century of dedicated service to her church and to God. She served as an adult 4-H leader and had leadership roles in local Farm Bureau. Eunice was a woman of many interests and talents. She was an extraordinary cook who loved to entertain. She enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening and was a member of the Murray County Flower Club. She played the piano and organ at home for many years. Eunice had a passion for painting that included Norwegian rosemaling and she took art class to increase her skills. Antiques were another passion; her home has many beautiful pieces. Eunice loved to sew and made many of her own clothes. Her business ventures included custom draperies and licensed day care. She deeply loved her family and friends, and her positive attitude and zest for life were evident in all that she did. She will be cherished forever.

Eunice is survived by her husband, Charles Swan of Slayton; two sons and their wives: Charles “Chuck” and Margaret Swan of Chantilly, VA, and Bruce and Taeko Swan of Sioux Falls, SD; seven grandchildren: Tonya and her fiancé, Chad Rotert, Nathan, Sheldon, Adam, Sarah, Kathryn and Courtney; sister and her husband, Sylvia and Vincent Moline of Slayton; sister-in-law, Lola Rambosky of Slayton, and two brothers, Clifford Nelson and Neil Nelson and his wife, Sharon; nieces, nephews and other relative and friends.

Her parents, a brother, Milo Nelson, and a sister, LaVaughn Light, precede her in death.

Interment was in Slayton Memorial Gardens, Slayton, MN with the Totzke Funeral Home handling the arrangements.