Details

Collection Summary
Collection: FND001 - SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Series: Tribute
Folder: DIG
Item: 271166
Title: Elaine J. Williams
Date: 5/12/1940-2/19/2024
Inscription/Marks: 5/12/1940
Summary: Elaine J. Williams passed away on February 19, 2024, in Baraboo, WI. I was born May 12, 1940, in Powers Lake, ND, to Marvin and Esther (Lindberg) Vixo. I was buried on a windy hill in Powers Lake, from the church of my youth, Holy Cross Lutheran. My sister Sharon joined us when I was 2½. At age 6 when I went off to school, a whole new world opened up for me. There I was introduced to other children my age and to reading. As I learned to read, I’d come home and teach Sharon all I knew. She graduated with honors, sadly I did not. I was steering a tractor around haycocks by the age of 6, so my dad and grandpa could pitch the loose hay onto the wagon. My parents felt I needed to keep busy. During my younger years, I was involved with 4-H which resulted in a scrapbook of ribbons and rewards. I took part in Luther League and was confirmed at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in the spring of 1955. I went to both 4-H and Bible camps at Lake Metigoshe in the Turtle Mountains of North Dakota. Mowing, gardening, hauling, picking, sewing, and baking occupied my time on the farm. There were very little idle hours as I was editor of our school paper, president of the Pep Club, and a drummer in both the school band and the marching band. Upon graduating from high school, I immediately entered summer school at Minot State Teachers College, and began working toward my 4-year degree in elementary education and home economics and English. I graduated in 1965. My small claim to fame is that I've traveled to all 50 states. My larger claim is that I’m the mother of three sons, (Brad born in 1962, Brian in 1964, Blake in 1969) and mother-in-law to three special daughters-in law, Colleen, Birute and Angela. I don’t remember when Bonnie Sorenson and her parents Marvin and Iris joined my life, but I don’t remember a time without them. Bonnie remains a friend to this day. When my mom married Oliver Tosseth, my boys only knew him as Grandpa, and Sharon and I gained a stepbrother, Larry Tosseth, along with his wife, Carol. We were blessed again. My oldest granddaughter told me to put some “spice” in my obituary, so here it comes… Bonnie, Sharon and I would go to a decrepit place called Ponchos, on White Earth Creek for Friday night dances. The ranchers in the area would hire young men to work in the summer haying, branding and fencing. On Friday nights they would join us (starched, shined and with a bit of liquid courage I’m sure) and ask us to dance. They smelled of soap, not a hint of ranch odor. Only their hats and boots gave them away. What fun!! At this writing, I am 83 years old and a grandmother of 16 (of whom I’m proud to say hold many college degrees and several doctorates). I’m also a great-grandmother of seven. I am survived by my sister, Sharon Vixo, my three sons and their wives, and the aforementioned grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I was preceded in death by my grandparents, Vixo and Lindberg; my father and mother, Marvin and Esther; my stepfather, Oliver Tosseth; and my husband, Edward Williams. At last count, no one in my family is in the hospital or in prison. I have been truly blessed. I’ve often said hat I've lived a Jimmy Stewart Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” See you on the other side.
Red ID: FND_I_78653 Image ID: 557345 Image Notes: FND001 271166

Collection: FND001 Digitized Images from Collection
Title: SHSND Foundation - North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program
Date: -

Summary: The North Dakota Heritage Family Memorial Program is sponsored by the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association. The life stories of deceased North Dakotans are featured in an archvied collection. Current partners in the project are Eastgate Funeral & Cremation Services, Bismarck Evans Funeral Homes, Carrington and New Rockford Everson-Coughlin Funeral Home, Williston Fulkerson Funeral Home, Tioga Fulkerson Funeral Home, Watford City Fulkerson Stevenson Funeral Home, Williston Nero Funeral Home, Bottineau Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck Springan Stevenson Funeral Home, Stanley Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson These funeral homes provide recent obituaries to the Foundation, where staff and volunteers format, edit and archive each memorial. The memorials are posted, and copies are sent to the family for their input and approval. The listing currently features more than 13,000 memorials, and is constantly updated as new memorials and histories are received.

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