Mildred A. Pelster
1926 — 2016
Mildred A. Pelster, 89 of Elgin, passed away Wednesday, July 6, 2016 at the Golden Living Center in Neligh.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 11, 2016 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Elgin, with Rev. Kevin Vogel officiating. Interment followed in the parish cemetery. Huffman-Levander Funeral Home of Elgin is in charge of arrangements.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.huffmanlevander.com.
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Mildred Ann Pelster, daughter of Ferdinand and Anna (Funk) Hupp, was born July 28, 1926 on the family farm in the St. John’s Community southwest of Clearwater, NE. She attended rural school District #29 in Wheeler County, District #46 in Holt County, and graduated from St. Boniface High School at Elgin in 1942 with normal training. She attended summer school at Creighton University in Omaha, then taught in rural schools for three years in Holt County.
On August 13, 1946, Mildred married Phillip “Pete” Pelster at St. John’s Church, rural Clearwater. The couple made their home on a ranch in the Beaver Valley west of Elgin, in Wheeler County. To this union 10 children were born. Following the death of her sister, Mildred welcomed in and cared for two nieces, Joan (Weidner) Perez and Mary (Weidner) Carroll, for several years. While raising their family, Mildred also raised chickens, grew a large garden and cooked for the hired men. In 1986, Pete retired from the ranch and they permanently moved to town.
Mildred was a member of St. Boniface Church, St. Boniface Altar Society serving as President, St. Boniface Quilters, along with being active in many other groups including the Beaver Valley Women’s Club, Scattered Neighbors Club, card club, the Red Hatters and Block Rosary.
She was a member of the committee that formed the Elgin Senior/Community Center, chairman of the Red Cross Blood Mobile in Elgin for years, and spent many hours on other volunteer work in the church and community. She always made her home a welcome place for kids waiting in town for after school activities to begin.
She enjoyed watching the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals baseball games, watching Husker sports, canning, sewing, baking bread and birthday cakes for her grandchildren, taking pleasure trips including a trip to Rome, and most of all, watching her children and grandchildren participate in their activities.
Mildred is survived by 10 children: JoAnn (Jim) Penne of Oakdale; Dodi (Don) Bauer of Oakdale; Bonnie (Gary) Dinslage of Elgin; Phyllis (Dennis) Cleveland of Ewing; Bob (Janice) Pelster of Bartlett; Denny (Judy) Pelster of Burwell; Jeanine (Kurt) Saner of Dunning; Jeanette (Dave) Henn of Petersburg; Marcia (Bob) Redler of Milford; Ginni (Bill) Fangman of Petersburg; 35 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren; one brother-in-law Peter Larson of Omaha; two sisters-in-law: Lucille Jillson of Lincoln; and Alfreda Pelster of Neligh; along with nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Pete in 2009; great-grandson Kayson Lauridsen; two sisters: Marie Larson and Betty Weidner; six brothers: Msgr. Robert Hupp, Joe, Maurice, Ferdinand Jr., Andy and Jim Hupp.
