Elsie Jacobson, 98, died on Friday, June 9, 2017, at United Living Community in Brookings where she had resided since February, after living a full and eventful life. 

The public is invited to a visitation with the family on Friday from 5-7 p.m. at Bethel Baptist Church, 714 17th Ave. S. in Brookings. A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 17 at 10:30 a.m. at Bristol/Butler United Methodist Church, Thirrd Street in Bristol, followed by a graveside service at Prairie Mound Cemetery in Butler, and lunch at the church.

Family and friends will remember Elsie’s quiet strength and resilience, her love for gardening, baking, teaching, sewing, crocheting, reading and Scrabble.  Throughout her 98 years, she was a supportive wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and treasured friend

 Elsie Jean was born to George and Cora Patton in Riverside, Calif., and grew up on a farm near Esmondwith her siblings Harold and Louise. 

Both parents died before her 16th birthday. She subsequently graduated from Iroquois High School and then received a one-year teaching certificate from Northern Normal and Industrial School in Aberdeen (now Northern State University). 

She taught in rural schools near Conde, Andover and Bristol, boarding with local families. It was during her stint at Sunbeam School south of Andover, boarding with Michael and Clara Jacobson, that she met and became engaged to their son Sidney. They married in 1943 and raised four children on that same family farm. 

After Sidney’s death in 1970, she moved to Bristol and resumed her career, now as a teacher’s aide in the Bristol school system, where she worked until her marriage to Halftan Jacobson in 1981 (who was coincidentally a cousin to Sidney).  

She and Halftan resided on his farm east of Minot, N.D., until his death in 2002.  She continued to live on the farm until 2007 when she moved to The View, an assisted living complex in Minot. 

Finally in February 2017, she moved to United Living Community in Brookings. She was a long-time member of Bristol/Butler United Methodist Church and was affiliated with Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Brethren Church in Minot during her many years in North Dakota. 

She is survived by her children, Allan Jacobson of Aberdeen, Janet (Loren) Peterson of Duluth, Minn.; Karen (Keith) Kinder (Keith) of Brookings and Myrlene Hamilton (Eric) Hess of Bayville, N.J.; her stepchildren: Wesley (Kathy) Jacobson of rural Minot, N.D., Phyllis (Ralph) Stratton of Spokane, Wash., and Howard Jacobson (Mary) of Orlando, Fla.; nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. 

Elsie was predeceased by her sister, brother, and both husbands, in addition to stepson Warren Jacobson, son-in-law Ed Hamilton and granddaughter Renelle Jacobson. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Prairie Mound Cemetery or the Bristol/Butler United Methodist Church.