Elphild Abraham

Funeral Service for Elphild Annie Abraham, age 94, of Wheaton, Minnesota will be held Tuesday, November 27, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Minnesota with Rev. Anthony Ahrendt officiating. Organist will be Sara Rinke with special music provided by Dennis Johnson. Pallbearers will be Brian Thomsen, David Thomsen, Dale Otto, Mike Kremer, Steven Lundquist, Daniel Lundquist and Dick Benson. Honorary Pallbearers will be Julie Otto, Kathi Kremer, Tina Lundquist, Jenny Lundquist, Melisa Benson and Renae Abraham. Visitation will be held Monday evening from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. with a 7:00 P.M. Prayer Service at St. John Lutheran Church in Wheaton. Visitation will continue one hour prior to service time on Tuesday morning. Interment will be in St. John Lutheran Cemetery, rural Wheaton. Elphild Annie Mossberg was born in Lake Valley Township, Traverse County on March 30, 1918, the daughter of Gust and Agnes Mossberg. She was baptized on July 15, 1919 and confirmed May 1, 1932 by Pastor Nels Malmstedt at the Mission Church. She graduated from Wheaton High School in 1936. She was united in marriage to Ernest Bud Abraham on November 7, 1938. They lived and farmed on the Abraham farm by Lake Traverse. Mr. Abraham passed away on January 31, 1980. In 1995, she moved from the farm to the Trail Street apartment where she lived for fifteen years until moving to the Traverse Care Center in February of 2010. Elphild was a member of St. John Lutheran Church and the Elizabeth Circle. She enjoyed her time on the farm and at the lake. Elphild and Bud always had a large vegetable and flower garden. The couple farmed and had dairy cattle, hogs and poultry until the mid 1970s. Elphild was an avid reader, enjoyed embroidery, baking and cooking and endlessly entertaining at the lake. The Abraham farm was the gathering place for family and friends, ice skating or ice fishing in the winter, hunting in the fall and swimming in the summer. Elphild was a wonderful cook and baker, cooking for large hunting parties in season and at family gatherings. She was especially known for her popcorn. Elphild also enjoyed playing piano and singing. Elphild passed away on November 24, 2012 at the Traverse Care Center in Wheaton. Elphild is survived by three children: Carol (Dick) Thomsen; Eileen (Gene) Lundquist and Roger (Teri) Abraham all of Wheaton; grandchildren: Brian Thomsen of Wheaton; David Thomsen of Elk River, Minnesota; Julie (Dale) Otto of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota; Kathi (Mike) Kremer of Wheaton; Steven (Tina) Lundquist of Wheaton; Daniel (Jenny) Lundquist of Blue Earth, Minnesota; Melisa (Dick) Benson of Clinton, Minnesota and Renae Abraham of Fargo, North Dakota; fifteen great-grandchildren: Hayden and Joran Thomsen; Avarie and Gavin Otto; Kalli, Jadyn and Kyle Kremer; Bria and Keira Lundquist; Fletcher and Lola Lundquist; Morgan and Carly Benson; and Noah and Carter Kevorkian; one sister, Dorothy Drinkwitz of Wheaton. Elphild was preceded in death by her husband, parents, five sisters: Elsa Granberg, Mabel McElwain, Mamie McElwain, Millie Orr, an infant sister Adele, and one brother Willard Mossberg.