Elinor E. (Luth) Thorsten - 1933-2011

LUTH, LAMI, THORSTEN, DORHMAN, BIRNER, MICKELSON, STIRN, MOFFAT

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 10/22/2011 at 15:06:00

SOURCE: Waukon, Iowa WAUKON STANDARD, October 11, 2011
Contributor: Connie Ellis (Not related)

A memorial service for Elinor Eleanora Thorsten, age 78, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 15 at the Immaculate Conception Church in Lansing, Iowa. Interment will take place at the Gethsemane Cemetery in Lansing, Iowa.

Elinor Eleanora, twin daughter of Albert George and Elise Katherine (Lami) Luth, was born March 5, 1933 at Harpers Ferry, Iowa. She was the youngest of seven children. Elinor spent her first nine years in Harpers Ferry, Iowa before moving to Burlington, Iowa where her parents found work during World War II in the government ammunition plant. After her father passed away, her mother married John Dorhman. The family moved to Wilton, Iowa in 1948. Elinor met her future husband, John Joseph Thorsten at her brother Hank's home, the summer of 1949, while she was helping the family during school break. Elinor and John were married on June 3, 1950 in the Immaculate Conception Church in Lansing, Iowa. They lived in or around the community of Churchtown their whole lives.

John and Elinor rented the Becker farm for one year before purchasing their own farm from Harry Dee. The 80 acre farm was over the hill to the north of John's parent's place, which allowed for cooperative work between the two families. Elinor would take care of the milking chores while John was away working in the family's other business. She participated in all aspects of farming, working at whatever needed to be done, from milking cows, unloading hay bales, feeding the hogs to moving the stock cows to fresh pasture. In addition to supporting milk cows and pigs, Elinor raised laying hens for eggs, fryers, ducks and rabbits as food for the family and selling the surplus, bringing in extra income for the family. Her vegetable gardens were the main source of food for her family. She would can and freeze upwards of 700 quarts of vegetables, berries, and fruits in one growing season. Her frozen apple pies and baked breads/sweet rolls were just a few of her specialties. When her children came home from school, there was always some fresh baked goods awaiting them. If a visitor dropped in at meal time, another plate would be added to the table. Everyone was welcome in her home. Once John and Elinor opened their home to a foreign exchange student, giving him a real life on the farm experience.

In the spring of 1970, John and Elinor purchased his parent's 318 acre farm. In order to become more diversified and to ease the work load, they discontinued dairy and purchased 30 head of Black Angus cows from Elinor's brother, Johnny Luth. Elinor worked as an aide in the Allamakee School District from 1978-1983. Other positions she held over the years included working at the Lansing Button Factory and Northern Engraving. In 1991, they retired from farming when their youngest son, James "Jim" Thorsten, purchased the farm. They bought their last home, a small acreage in Churchtown from Vernon Haas. After their move to this small community, she volunteered at the food shelf for many years, working with people who needed help. This was also the year they purchased their first motor home and started their 20 years of traveling adventures.

For many years she taught religion classes to children whose families were members of the Immaculate Conception Church. She was a member of the VFW and the Immaculate Conception Women's Auxiliary. Elinor was an accomplished seamstress, making the family's clothes for many years. She also enjoyed ceramics, crocheting, quilting, playing card games with family and friends. It is believed she taught every grandchild how to play cards and games. Elinor would tell her family that she always wanted to be a teacher, and she accomplished this by giving her children the freedom to make mistakes but the love and support to allow them to make their own way. She taught them how to lead an honest, accountable life. She was an avid reader. Elinor and John had many family pets over the years, the most recent one is a beagle named Shy. Elinor and John traveled extensively, visiting family and friends in the lower 48 states and Canada. They never missed their children's weddings, graduations, or births. They attended their many adopted family member's events as well. John and Elinor would have been married for 61 years on June 3, 2011. Elinor had a lifetime of accomplishments but most importantly, she lovingly gave her time and help to her family and friends.

Elinor Eleanora Thorsten passed away Sunday, July 24, 2011 at the Thornton Manor Nursing Home in Lansing, Iowa from congestive heart failure. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband John who died on June 1, 2011; a granddaughter, Courtney Birner; her siblings, Henry "Hank" Luth, Carrie Luth, John Luth, and Robert "Bob" Luth.

Elinor is survived by her seven children, Steven (Carolyn) Thorsten, Patricia (Richard) Mickelson, Richard (Juliet) Thorsten, Julie (Michael) Birner, James (Teresa) Thorsten, Susan (Greg) Stirn, and Tanya (Dan) Moffat; 17 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; a sister, Ella Mae Luth, and Elinor's twin brother, Delmar "Pat" Luth.

Allamakee Obituaries maintained by Sharyl Ferrall.
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