An amazing mother, sister, aunt and friend left this mortal life yesterday and returned to the presence of our Heavenly Father. Aunt Elaine has been an example of unwavering faith, courage and strength of a Stripling Warrior, optimism in the bleakest of days and the ability to love everyone she has come into contact with. She has battled cancer for several years and sadly lost that battle. I'm sure grandpa Bud and uncle Carl and her parents were very excited to greet her. A comment was made yesterday that this Friday the 7th would be Great Grandpa Don's birthday and they probably needed the party girl up there for the party. Aunt Elaine LOVED to have party's. Every Christmas she would have a Santa Lucia party at her house so we could remember our Swedish heritage. She also loved having a big birthday party and getting the family together for about any occasion. Uncle Kirk just sat back and let her have her fun. I believe she was the "favorite" Aunt to ALL her nieces and nephews. And she made us feel like each one of us was her favorite. Her and Uncle Kirk served several missions together. I believe her favorite was serving in Turkey. She has a room in her house that she calls the "Turkish" room. It is full of little nicknack's and toys and she just loved when the great-nieces and nephews would come play in there. Her family and her Savior were the most important things to her and I'm sure she was welcomed into Heaven with open arms. Aunt Elaine, we love you and will miss you but will cherish the legacy that you have left behind.
Where Autumn rest upon the vines,
And sometimes shriveled you will find,
The leaves that hold on through the night
And cold and frost they seem to fight
Their fate unknown they pull the warmth
From morning sun and trodden earth.
But must succumb eventually
As Winter blankets cover thee.
So shriveled, old with no more strength
Their laid to rest the garden length.
And there remain with no more life
Till God relieves them from their strife.
For into Spring they rise again
And soon we'll be able to join with them.
