Evan M. Eliassen (1893-1960)

ELIASSEN, NERNES, LYSNE, DAVIS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 10/14/2023 at 22:00:16

From The Slater News June 9, 1960 (page 1)

Last Rites Held for Evan M. Eliassen

Last rites for Evan M. Eliassen were held Monday afternoon at the Riis Funeral Home at 1:30 p. m. and at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church at 2 o'clock.

Pastor Leo O. Bjorlie was in charge of the services. He used psalm 125 for the text of his sermon.

Mrs. Lester Becker was the soloist and sang "My God How Wonderful Thou Art" and "Faith of Our Fathers." She was accompanied by Mrs. Jacob G. Lee, organist.

Pallbearers were Clark Nervig, Roy Fausch, Jacob Lee, Val Racek, Harold Croft and Oliver Newman.

Honorary pallbearers were Howard Weeks, Raymond Ryen, Nilus Ihle, Dale Lund and Frank Seafield.

Interment was in the Bethlehem Cemetery.

Obituary

Evan M. Eliassen was born Aug. 6, 1893, at Aneta, N. D., the son of the late Pastor and Mrs. Henry Eliassen. He grew up in North Dakota but moved to Northfield, Minn. with his family in 1911, where he attended St. Olaf Academy and St. Olaf College, graduating from the latter in 1917.

He entered the teaching profession and was Superintendent of Schools at Crary and Makoti, N. D., before assuming a similar position at Slater, Ia. He attended Columbia University in 1923-24 where he received his M. A. degree. After this he taught one year at Sherburne, Minn. and was successively Superintendent of Schools at Spring Grove, Lyle and Houston, Minn., retiring from the teaching profession in 1952. After moving to Slater, he taught one year at Alleman.

Since 1954 he has been employed in the laboratory at Iowa State Highway Commission.

On June 25, 1925 he was married to Myrtle Nernes at Slater, Ia.

Throughout his life he has been active in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, as well as in Educational Associations. But his main theme in life was service to young people, assisting them to make the most out their lives.

Mr. Eliassen died at his home, June 2. He passed away very suddenly at 6:25 p. m. from a heart attack, following a full day's work at the Iowa State Highway Commission at Ames, Ia.

Survivors are his wife, Myrtle and daughter, Grace Louise, of Seattle, Wash., two brothers, Reuben Eliassen of Johnson City, Tenn. and Victor Eliassen of Swanannoa, N. C.; two sisters, Mrs. Melvin Lysne of Northfield, Minn. and Mrs. Frank Davis of Los Angeles, Calif.