Elna Elaine Kent

Kent, Elna Elaine (nee Edstrom) A shining light of love and fun turned dark Tuesday, July 15, with the death of Elna Elaine (nee Edstrom) Kent. She loved bowling, fishing, hunting, golf, birding and playing 500 - she could remember every card that hit the table. With the help of family she canned more than 200 quarts of corn, beans, peas, tomatoes and other produce each year for more than a decade after WW II. She also loved to cook; her rhubarb custard pie inspired sincere expressions of wonder. She enjoyed travel and then recounting stories of her trips, especially to the Middle East, Europe and Hawaii. Elna was born December 16, 1916, in Sandstone, where she was cared for in her first three years by her aunt Hilda and uncle Charlie Edstrom. She was graduated from Sauk Rapids High School in 1934. In 1937 she married Edward Kent, who became superintendent of utilities in Mora, where he worked for 25 years. She lived in Mora during childhood and then as she reared her family and again in retirement. In 1957 she moved with her family to Pocahontas, Iowa. She returned to Mora in 1972, moved to Sandstone in 2000, to Spring Lake Park in 2003, and to St. Paul in 2006. In St. Paul, she lived at Lyngblomsten, where she made many friends. She is survived by daughter Corinne (husband James Jenson) of New Brighton, their children Matthew, Jill (husband Barry Rohweder and daughter Leah) and Amy (husband Peter Danio); son Kurt (wife Lisbeth) of Gainesville, Fla., and their sons Adam (wife Gina) and Shelbourn (wife Jody, daughter Ashley and son Carson); son Craig (wife Christine) of Green Bay, Wis., and their daughters Lynn (daughter Emily) and Jennifer (husband William Stupar and daughters Kathryn, Julia and Abby); and daughter Klea (husband Patrick Woodberry) of Glenrock, Wyo., and children Sarendra (husband William Laws, sons Jackson and Adam), Samuel, Trudy (children Kaitlin, Cameron and Zachary); and Michael (wife Shannon, children Joshua, Anna Piper, Judah and Asher). She was pre-deceased by mother Karen and father Ludwig Edstrom, husband Edward, daughter Donna Lou, brothers Vernon, Ludwig and Daniel, and sister, Vivian. Services are pending for a funeral at Zion Lutheran Church, 401 Highway 65 South, Mora, MN 55051-1800, 320-679-1094, after visitation prior to the service at the church. Contact funeral home for service times. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery at Central Avenue West in Mora. A reception will follow at the church. Memorial donations may be made to the Zion Lutheran Church, to the Lyngblomsten Care Center, 1415 Almond Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, or to the charity of your choice. Arr. by Dresser-Methven Funeral Home, 320-679-1822. methvenfuneralhome.com

Published on July 20, 2014