Elsie P Gustafson

Funeral Services for Elsie P. Gustafson will be conducted from the Fridhem Lutheran Church in Funk, Nebraska on Friday, September 30, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Darrel Wissmann and Pastor Jean Clayton officiating. Interment will be held in the Fridhem Cemetery at Funk.

Elsie Pearl Gustafson, 98 years of age of Holdrege, Nebraska (formerly of Axtell, Nebraska) passed away on Friday, September 23, 2011 at Holdrege Memorial Homes. Elsie was born February 19, 1913 at Orleans, Nebraska, the fifth of seven children, to Arthur Stanley and Julia Myrtle (Miller) Phelps. She attended school in Orleans and graduated from the Orleans High School with the class of 1931.

Elsie worked for the Bell Telephone Company in Holdrege and Lexington, Nebraska. She later worked at the Air Base in Kearney, and Payne-Larson in Kearney, sewing draperies.

On October 5, 1940 Elsie was united in marriage to Orville Lorenzo Gustafson and to this union three daughters were born: Cheryl, Sandra and Betty. The family made their home on a farm, near Axtell. Orville passed away on July 18, 1999.

Elsie was a member of the Fridhem Lutheran Church in Funk, was active in various community organizations and enjoyed playing golf for recreation.

She enjoyed playing Bridge, BINGO, crossword and working puzzles and board games with grandkids. Also enjoyed knitting, sewing and gardening.

Besides her parents and husband, Orville, Elsie was preceded in death by three brothers: Art, Edward and Charles; and two sisters: Ruth and Grace.

Elsie leaves to mourn her passing her three daughters: Cheryl Hedstrom and her husband, Tom of Kearney, Nebraska, Sandra Becker and her husband, Jim of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Betty Johnson and her husband, Eldon of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska; eight grandchildren: Janelle Hedstrom and her husband, Rafael Hernandez, Michael Hedstrom and his wife, Kim, John Hedstrom, Amanda Becker, Zachary Becker, Melanie Becker, Celeste Martell and her husband, Rich and Cybill Johnson; 6 great-grandchildren; one sister, Mary Lehl and one sister-in-law, Marjorie Phelps both of McCook; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2011 from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, with the family greeting friends from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

A memorial has been established in her name and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of kindness and caring can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of arrangements.