Elsie Jane Tollefson

Elsie Jane Tollefson, age 88, of Decorah, passed away on Friday, December 1, 2023, at Wellington Place, Decorah, IA. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, December 8, 2023, at First Lutheran Church, 604 W Broadway St. in Decorah. Burial will be in the Lutheran Cemetery. Elsie's service will be livestreamed at the following link - https://youtube.com/live/zppUGD2bva0 Visitation will be Friday, December 8, 2023, from 9:30 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. at First Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Decorah Community Food Pantry; P.O. Box 26; Decorah, Iowa 52101 or to WinnMed Hospice, 901 Montgomery St., Decorah, Iowa 52101. Elsie Jane (Reyerson) Tollefson was born in Northwood, Iowa on December 18, 1934, to Henry and Palma (Bendickson) Reyerson. She was the seventh of 12 children. She was baptized at Silver Lake Lutheran Church near Northwood and confirmed at Rock Creek Lutheran Church in rural Osage, Iowa. On February 23, 1957, she was united in marriage to Otis J. Tollefson. To this union, three children were born: Debra, Diane, and Steven. They made their home in Decorah, Iowa. She attended country schools at Northwood and Osage, Iowa. After graduating from Osage High School, she attended Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa. She taught in the elementary grades in Waukon, South Winneshiek, and Decorah Schools for 33 years. Jane was a member of First Lutheran Church, Martha Circle, Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and on the Social Concerns Committee. She helped with the Decorah Community Food Pantry for over 20 years, taught Sunday School, was a mentor, helped sponsor a Laotian family and was a member at Silvercrest Country Club. She enjoyed reading, bowling, golfing at Silvercrest, playing cards, spending winter vacations in Arizona with friends and her son Steven, and trips taken to Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, and Bahamas. She especially loved the time spent with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Otis. Children: Debra (Michael) Gallagher of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Steven Tollefson of Decorah, Iowa; brothers: Robert and Duane Reyerson, Hank (Vi) Reyerson, Bob (Trish) Larson; grandchildren: Michelle (Ryan) Bildstein, Matthew (Kate) Gallagher and Emily Jaastad (Jacob Bedford); great grandchildren: Avery, Harper, Anthony, Brandi, Micah, Jack, Grace, Violet, and Olive; sister-in-law Gail (Fred) Libby; and many nieces and nephews and cousins. Preceding her in death were her parents. Daughter: Diane (Tollefson) Jaastad. Three sisters: Laurine (Reyerson) Link, Marjorie (Reyerson) Klukow and Pearl (Reyerson) Klukow; five brothers: Curt, Herbert, Judean, LeRoy, and Dean Reyerson.