Elaine Marie Carlson

Age 71 of Maplewood, formerly of Willernie, Minnesota.

Our beloved aunt, sister, and friend passed away peacefully on September 23rd, 2025.

Elaine had an adventurous childhood growing up in Willernie. She attended St. Jude of the Lake School and then graduated from Mahtomedi High School in 1972.

Elaine spent many years working hard on the farm bailing hay, raising chickens & hogs, and all around living the farm-life, while also working at Anderson Windows in Bayport.

She enjoyed making and selling die cast figurines at the Renaissance Festival. Elaine held various other jobs, including working at St. John's Hospital, St. Paul College, selling real estate, for a mortgage company, and at a Christian bookstore. Elaine was very creative and loved art as well as writing poetry.

Perhaps Elaine's greatest gift was how she brought joy to everyone around her. She was open and friendly to everyone and always looked for the good in others. Her sense of humor and laugh helped brighten others' days. She showed a deep care for her fellow man and was able to brighten the room even when she may have had her own internal struggles going on. It seemed like her way of coping was to help other people and to try to cheer them up. She was so generous. When she would see someone down and out, she would buy them a meal. Elaine was one of the sweetest, most gracious persons you would ever meet.

Elaine was a very dedicated and caring friend, in the true sense of the word. Her friendships were based on unselfish love for others and she cherished these lifelong relationships.

Elaine always had a strong Christian faith. She liked talking about the Bible and the stories in it, and learned it very well. She was so good at sharing her Christian faith with others, including during her time as a pastor. Elaine enjoyed reminiscing about the Catholic Church of her childhood and was excited this past year to return to the Church, where she reinvigorated her enthusiasm for the sacred and reverent, including enjoying the Latin mass and the rosary. She was a life-long, avid collector of prayer cards, trading them like other kids traded baseball cards.

Elaine spent her last few months brightening the halls of Maplewood Rehabilitation Center. She enjoyed the outings, music, crafts, bingo, prayers, and most especially her friendships with the people, both staff and residents. She also received excellent supplemental care from the wonderful team at HealthPartners Hospice. We are incredibly grateful for all of the people who cared for Elaine, and the respect they showed her as her life on this earth neared an end.

May Elaine's soul, and the souls of all of the faithful departed, rest in peace, and may she see the face of God! Amen.

Elaine is preceded in death by her parents, Betty and Leonard Carlson; sister June (Marvin) Schifsky; and brother, Joe (Claudette) Munson.

She is survived by her brother Jim (Sheila) Munson; brother-in-law Marvin (June) Schifsky; and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation at 10-11:00am and Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am on Thursday, October 9th at St. Jude of the Lake Catholic Church, 700 Mahtomedi Ave., Mahtomedi. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Maplewood Rehabilitation Center Therapeutic Recreation Department.