Elna Grace Melbye

Elna Grace Halmrast Johansen Melbye

29 June 1927 - 21 Apr 2018, Age 90

A funeral service will be held for Elna Grace Melbye at 11 AM at Korsmo Funeral Chapel, 409 8th Street South, Moorhead, Minnesota, on Monday, April 30, 2018. Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral, also at Korsmo Funeral Chapel. Burial will be at Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery, 8199 147th Ave SE, Milnor, ND, on the same date.

Elna Grace went to live with her Lord on Saturday, 21 April, 2018. She was living at Southridge Healthcare in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, at the time of her death.

Elna Grace was the first child born to Rev. Gustav and Edith (Wehlander) Halmrast. She was born on the 29th of June, 1927, in rural Flasher, North Dakota. She was born at home, a premature baby, weighing approximately 2 ½ pounds, delivered by Dr. Oliver DeMoully. Her mother wrapped the tiny baby in cotton batting, and put her in a shoebox, which was placed on the door of the wood stove, to keep her warm. Especially in those days, such a tiny baby wasn't expected to live, but she displayed her strong spirit early, and survived. She started school in the Hall Township Schoolhouse, DeLamere, ND, while her parents were temporarily living at the Gilbert Halmrast farm. She also attended schools in Edinburg, ND, and Augustana Lutheran Academy in Canton, SD. She graduated from Oak Grove Lutheran High School, Fargo, ND. She attended Concordia College, and graduated from the Deaconness School of Nursing, Grand Forks, ND, with a R.N., in 1949. She practiced nursing for over 40 years, in Fargo, Pelican Rapids, and Fergus Falls. She married Jim Johansen of Underwood, MN, and they had five children who survived to adulthood. Elna owned and operated a gift shop in Pelican Rapids, MN, for a short time in the early 1970s. She owned and operated the Mode-O-Day women's clothing store in Holiday Mall in Moorhead, for a short time in the mid-1970s.

Elna married Gordon Melbye of Hitterdal, MN, in 1991, and they enjoyed nine years together before he passed away.

From the time she was eight years old, Elna Grace accompanied her mother on the piano, when her mother sang solos at various church functions, and was an accomplished piano accompanist. She was an excellent seamstress, and, as a young mother, designed and sewed many of the dresses her daughters wore, as well as some of her own. She was active in Gate City Toastmasters in Fargo, for many years, eventually becoming one of the District officers.

She is survived by her five children: Kathryn Carver of Mesa, AZ; Joy (Dan) Weisgerber of San Tan Valley, AZ; Lois (Joe) King of Pleasantview, Tennessee; Rev. Paul (Joy) Johansen of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and Rev. Dean (Deborah) Johansen of Mandan, North Dakota. She is also survived by her 12 grandchildren: Chris Carver; Nels and Anders (Karen) Brown; Bethany (Luke) Theriot; Heather (Justin) Wright; Heidi (Chris) Schroder; Jody (Jeff) Seurer; Joshua (Jen), Leah, Aaron, Alicia, and Andrew Johansen. She also leaves 18 great-grandchildren (Olivia, Will, Cooper, Evangeline, Faith, Tatum, Brady, Brooklyn, Katelyn, Noah, Sara, Carter, Ava, Dante, Devyn, Chloe, Cora, and Zayden); her sister-in-law Marlys Halmrast; a niece Cheryl Oscarson; a nephew Mark (Judy) Oscarson; an aunt (Lilly Halmrast), and several cousins.

She was preceded in death by an infant daughter Deanna Johansen, her parents, her brother Grant Luther Halmrast, a grandson Jeremy Malingen, her husband Gordon Melbye, and a son-in-law Cletus Brown.

Visitation for Elna will be Monday, April 30, 2018, from 10 AM until 11 AM, followed by her funeral service at 11 AM, in Korsmo Funeral Chapel, Moorhead.