Virginia H. “Gina” Ellefson

Williamston

Virginia “Gina” Ellefson (nee Hood) was born in Manistique, Michigan, on January 28, 1919, to Otto and Hildora (Linden) Hood.  She passed away September 25, 2017. She spent her early years on the family farm outside of Manistique with her parents and younger sister Merle (Carvallo).  The family eventually moved into town, where she met Philip Ellefson during high school.  The two became high school sweethearts and were eventually married on September 1, 1940.  They moved to Chicago where Phil was a bookkeeper for Anderson’s Potato Warehouse.  The couple welcomed their first child Ned in October of 1941.  When Phil was drafted into the army, Gina and Ned returned to Manistique to live with her parents.  After Phil returned from the Philippines, the couple moved back to Chicago.  In 1951, Gina and Phil had their son Joel.  In 1960, the couple moved to Arlington Heights, IL where they built a house on Lake Briarwood.  Towards the end of Phil’s work for Jessup Steel, they moved first to Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania and later Los Angeles, California.  When Phil retired, the couple decided to sell their home in Pennsylvania and hit the road in a 40’ trailer and spent a year touring the United States.  They later settled in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for their retirement.  They would trailer to Arizona, Florida or Texas for the winter and spend the summer in Door County gardening, canning and visiting with friends and relatives.

Gina was a skilled seamstress.  She worked for a number of the larger department stores in Chicago.  She enjoyed sewing her own clothes and clothes for family and her grandchildren.  She was also a master knitter and crochet-er.  She even crafted special baby outfits for her first two great-grandchildren.  There is no way of counting how many Afghans, sweaters, beanbag frogs, or mittens she made over her lifetime.

Throughout her life, Gina and Phil were very active in the Lutheran Churches where they lived.  Notably, they were among the founding members of Lutheran Church of the Cross in Arlington Heights in 1961.  She loved being in her women’s circle groups and working on the quilting teams at church.  Since moving to Michigan, she found a wonderful church family at University Lutheran church: among them June Szypula who became like a sister to her.

Gina was also a proud grandmother of John Ellefson and Nicole Ellefson and great-grandmother to Reid and Emma Ellefson-Frank and Madrona Ellefson.  She spent her last 10 years living in Michigan enjoying the company of her family and after moving in to Crosaires assisted living facility in Williamston engaging in their activities.

The family is deeply thankful for the amazing loving care of her church friends and the care partners at Crosaires assisted living facility and Grace Hospice.

Services will be held on Monday, October 2, 2017, at University Lutheran Church, 1020 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing. The family will receive visitors at 10:00 a.m. and the memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m.  Light refreshments will be provided by her circle group after the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to University Lutheran Church in East Lansing, Michigan.