Elaine Hope (Nelson) Becker

Elaine Hope (Nelson) Becker entered Heaven to be with her Lord on May 18, 2019 at the Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids, MN.

Her Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on May 25, 2019 at the Community Country Church in Holdingford, MN. Reviewal will be at the Church one hour before the service, and visitation, with lunch, following the service. Burial will be in the City Cemetery in Benson, MN.

Elaine Becker was born on a farm in Rolling Forks Township, during a historic snowstorm on November 15, 1927, to Henry and Esther (Carlson) Nelson. She attended country school at Dist. #38.   She graduated from high school in Benson, MN and attended Minneapolis Business College before being employed at Physician’s Hospital Supply Company in downtown Minneapolis. Other places of employment included the Benson Creamery and the Swift County Bank in Benson, where she spent thirty-five years before retiring. 

Elaine and Reuben became acquainted after he returned from the Air Force in 1945.  They were married on May 15, 1949. The Lord granted Elaine and Reuben over 68 years of marriage. They lived in Benson for 50 years while raising their three children, Marcia, Faye and Brent. After the children had left home to have families of their own, Elaine and Reuben moved to Hutchinson, Minnesota to be closer to their extended families. They chose the Village Cooperative for active senior lifestyle.

Elaine’s hobby was traveling, and Reuben and Elaine were blessed to be able to visit several countries in Europe and Scandinavia, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji Islands, Hawaii, Taiwan, Okinawa, Cayman Islands, & Japan, where Reuben’s sister, Blanche, served as a Missionary.  Having daughters working for Northwest Airlines made those trips possible.

Elaine enjoyed playing scrabble, reading and writing. She wrote and published “Echo Hill Farm,” an autobiography of growing up on the farm during the depression. She also spent many years compiling the four Family Tree Booklets.

Elaine attended the Evangelical Free Church in Benson most of her life, and when they moved to Hutchinson in 1995 she became a member of the Lamson Evangelical Free Church. She was blessed with parents who gave her a spiritual heritage and training.  She was confirmed and baptized at the Evangelical Free Church in Benson, Minnesota, after experiencing the Lord as her personal Savior.  Spending time in service to the Lord was a priority in her life. She served in different areas in Church, including the Women’s group, Sunday School and as Church Treasurer. After moving to Hutchinson, she was a Volunteer in the Hospital and Thrift Shop and delivered Meals on Wheels with her husband.  Elaine and Reuben moved to the Country Manor in Sartell, MN in 2011, and then she moved to Good Shepherd Community in March of 2019.

Elaine is survived by her daughters Marcia (Arlyn) Lawrenz, Faye Johnson and son Brent (Carlene) Becker. The light of her life has been her grandchildren: Nikki (Steve) Horvath, Trevor (Michelle) Lawrenz, Chanda Vogt (Jim Martin), Margot (Paul) Johnson and Brody Becker (Shannon Wander).  Her great grandchildren include Michaela (Brandon), Kylie, Tyler, Dominick, Mia, Kylie, MacKenzie, Jeffrey, Gillian, Matthew, Andrew, and Madeline Elaine, and great great grandson Isaiah.  Her living siblings are Audrey (Charles) Melbye and Roger (Lori) Nelson. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Reuben, sister Dorothy Rasmussen, 18 month old niece Joene Melbye, nephew Loren Rasmussen,son-in-law Greg Johnson, sisters-in-law Blanche Ford, Van Becker and Vivian Moline, and brothers-in-law Clifford Rasmussen, Paul Moline and Einar Ford.

Elaine’s prayer has been that her loved ones will have the assurance of heaven, through salvation, and will spend eternity together. Elaine trusted that the answers to her prayers would not end with her life, but that the Lord would continue working in the lives of her loved ones. 

Elaine’s family would like to thank the staff at St. Croix hospice and Good Shepherd Lutheran Home for their compassionate care for Elaine.