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Elano Jane Gaffey, 88, of Alta died Dec. 7, 2022 at her home in Alta.
Memorial services will be held Saturday, Jan. 21, at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alta. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Alta is in charge of the arrangements.
Elano “Lonnie” Jane Gaffey was born to Christian and Esther (Jensen) Kjolhede on Jan. 7, 1934 in Newell. Lonnie attended grade school at Rembrandt Public School and high school at Alta Community School, graduating in 1951. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Alta.
Lonnie was united in marriage to James Louis Gaffey on June 10, 1951 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alta. To this union, nine children were born: Garand, Linda, Gardell, Koleen, Michael, Virgil, Nancy, Kristi and Gregory.
Lonnie never allowed any dust to collect around her feet. If she wasn’t dancing with Jim, something they both loved to do, she seemed to always have an iron in the fire. Over the course of her life, she did her part to provide for the family. She had an upholstery business, sold baked goods, made and decorated wedding cakes, sold craft items she created and did clothing alterations. Outside the home, she worked at the flower and craft shop in Alta, did a short stint at Wilson meat packing in Cherokee, and worked at Iowa Office Supply and then the Commercial Sign and Design shop in Storm Lake. Lonnie was active with the Alta Fire Department Firettes. Later in life, she served on the church council at Trinity Lutheran Church in Alta.
She and husband Jim loved spending time at their place located on the south shore of Swift Lake near Longville and Remer, Minn. When their daughter Nancy suffered a sever debilitating health event leaving her in a semi-comatose state, Lonnie and Jim made the decision to care for her in their home, which they did for 13 years until Nancy passed away in 2006. Their faith never wavered and were often heard thanking God for the beautiful day.
After Jim passed away in 2010, Lonnie continued to travel to Swift Lake and spend the spring, summer and early fall there, enjoying the gift of God’s beautiful creation. She enjoyed morning coffee out on the deck conversing with God and making sure the hummingbird feeders were always full.
Lonnie’s life was full and her passing leaves a void, but cherished memories bring a smile and warmth to our hearts.
Left to cherish Lonnie’s memory are her children: Garand (Joleen) Gaffey of Remer, Minn.; Linda (Kirby) Roberts of Storm Lake; Koleen (Gary) Brown of Newell; Michael Gaffey of Alta; Virgil (Kelly) Gaffey of Storm Lake; Kristi (Kurt) Miene of Lawton; Greg (Tiffany) Gaffey of Ames; grandchildren: Jeremi (Amy) Gaffey, Aaron (Irene) Gaffey, Jordan (Lyndsay) Gaffey, Adam (Anna) Gaffey, Heidi (Eric Lewis) Roberts, Andrea Roberts, Nicole (Robert) Nichols, Justin Gaffey, Taylor (Dan) Harvey, MaKenzi Miene, Caleb Lichty, Connor Gaffey and Cohen Gaffey; step grandchildren: Joshua (Sonia) Brown, Travis (Darci) Brown, Tanya Lockwood, Jennifer (Mike) Snedeker and Tony (Jessica) Kraft; 14 great-grandchildren; 16 step great-grandchildren; extended family and friends.
Lonnie was preceded in death by her parents Christian and Esther (Jensen) Kjolhede; son Gardell Gaffey in 1956; daughter Nancy Gaffey in 2006; brothers: Clifford Kjolhede, Arnold (Marion) Kjolhede, Cyril (Bettie) Kjolhede and Ron (Glenda) Kjohlede; sisters: Agnus (Ivan) Lathrum, Doris (Dean) Orcutt, Lillian (Skelly) Rystad and Ellen (Van) Parker.
