Elgene B. Graves, 96 of Alexandria, passed away at Grand Arbor, on February 23, 2019. A celebration of life gathering will be held at the Grand Arbor Community Room on Saturday, March 9, 2019 from 1:00-4:00pm. Elgene was born in Fargo, North Dakota in 1922 to Theron and Besse Armstrong.
She was one of five children. She graduated from NDSU, (was NDAC at that time) with a B.S. degree in Home Economics. Elgene worked in Minneapolis in sales and merchandising.
While working in Minneapolis, she met her husband Alan and they married in 1946. With their two daughters, Susan and Peggy, they moved to Alexandria in 1952. Elgene enjoyed and was involved with many activities such as Newcomers, Bridge club, Alexandria Golf Club (Women’s Auxiliary President), and Women’s Fellowship at the First Congregational Church.
Elgene worked doing bookkeeping, with her husband, Alan who had an accounting business in Alexandria. She later worked at the Viking Motel which they owned, where her warm personality greeted their many restaurant guests and motel travelers. Elgene and Alan enjoyed their home on Lake Carlos and later wintering in Scottsdale Arizona for many years.
In her later years, she resided at Grand Arbor in Alexandria. Elgene’s family would like to extend their sincere thank you to the Grand Arbor Staff and the aides and nurses in the Assisted Living and Memory Care units. Their kindness and compassion was of great comfort to Elgene and family.
Elgene will be remembered for kindness, good sense of humor and her love of the golf game. She joked that the one thing she never achieved was her career round. She was a special grandma to her grandchildren.
They enjoyed many outings during visits to Arizona, like golfing, the zoo, hiking, picnics and other adventures. She always made everyone feel welcome. During one of the family’s annual gatherings on the Fourth of July, she was caught on video doing her famous sparkler dance.
You can find it on youtube, “Dance, Elgene Dance”. Elgene was preceded in death by her parents, Besse and T.L. (Theron) Armstrong; brother, Bill Armstrong; sisters, Dorothy Millar and Betty Borman; husband, Alan; and daughter, Peggy Beard. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Seltz (Jack) of Alexandria, Minnesota; sister, Margaret Armstrong-Law of Fargo, North Dakota; grandchildren, Christopher Beard (Heather) and Stephanie Beard, Joseph Seltz (Kimberlee) and Jacob Seltz; great grandchildren, Corwyn, Maryn and Allasyn Beard and Whitney Seltz; and many nieces and nephews.
She will be missed by all. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hospice of Douglas County or Knute Nelson – Grand Arbor.
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