Eleanor Welling
Eleanor Ruth (Ziehl) Welling, 89, passed away peacefully May 17, 2021, at Lakewood Health Care Center in Staples.
Services will be held May 27, with visitation and lunch from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, Staples. Service begins at 2:00 p.m. followed by burial at the Balsumland Lutheran Cemetery, rural Aldrich.
Eleanor (Ellie) was born February 24, 1932 in St. Paul to Frederick and Lavern (Schmidt) Ziehl. Ellie attended Evangelical Lutheran School through the eighth grade and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1949. Some of her fondest memories were of being a majorette in high school, marching and twirling in the St. Paul Winter Carnival parade.
Her love of sports started at a young age, attending the St. Paul Saints baseball games with her father. Growing up in St. Paul also afforded her the luxury of attending the Minnesota State Fair every year where her mother worked in the Lutheran Church kitchen booth. Ellie enjoyed watching all sports, especially, the Twins and Vikings. She never forgave the “Lakers” for moving to LA and refused to watch the “traitors”.
Ellie married Elroy Jasmer on September 23, 1950, while he was in the U.S. Air Force. They moved to the Jasmer family farm in 1955, north of Clarissa where they raised their family and dairy farmed for many years. Elroy passed away in March 1989. Ellie worked at Fingerhut in Sauk Centre, Carter-Ringer in Staples and Homecrest Industries in Wadena, retiring in 1994.
Ellie enjoyed traveling to Las Vegas every year to visit family (and ‘win’ a little), attending area concerts, especially the military or patriotic-themed concerts. She was an active member of the First Integrity Bank senior’s droup. While on excursions with them, she met her second husband, Arlyn Welling. They married on April 25, 1998, residing in rural Motley until they moved to The Pines Apartments, Staples; eventually moving to the Lakewood Health System Care Center in 2014. They continued to travel during their time together and one of their most memorable trips was to Hawaii for a Pearl Harbor Survivor’s Reunion.
She was a member of the Wadena Women’s Auxiliary, Ladies Aide group at church and Aldrich Lions Club. She often appeared as Mrs. Claus at Christmas, enjoyed playing cards, reading, crocheting and embroidery, making many chrocheted doilies and embroidered pillowcases which she donated for fund raisers.
Ellie is survived by seven children, Linda (Lee) McDonald of Boulder City, NV; Gail Jasmer of New Prague; Susan (Victor) Soule of Browerville; Rita (Steve) Gaugert of Bertha; Jerry (Gail) Jasmer of Grand Rapids; Joel (Donna) Jasmer of Brainerd and Richard Jasmer of Brainerd; 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one son, Eugene Jasmer; one sister, Virginia; one brother, Richard; husbands, Elroy Jasmer and Arlyn Welling.
Ellie was extremely grateful for the time and care that was given to her over the last seven plus years while living at Lakewood Care Center. She was fun-loving and made many new friends. She enjoyed visiting, playing bingo, dancing and sharing silly jokes with anyone that would listen; especially her grandchildren.
As a family, we would like to thank everyone at the Care Center for their wonderful care and service, ensuring Mom was comfortable to the very end.
Funeral arrangements by Taylor Funeral Home, Staples. w21c A00006B2021MY19
