Elsa Gloe

OSMOND -- Funeral service for Elsa Gloe, 88, of Osmond will be held at 10:30 a.m., Monday, June 19, 2023 at Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Norfolk. Officiating the service will be Rev. Terry Buol. Burial will take place at Osmond City Cemetery, rural Osmond. Visitation will be held from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m., Sunday, June 18, also at Stonacek Funeral Chapel in Norfolk. Elsa died on Saturday, June 3, 2023 at Edgewood Memory Care in Norfolk. Stonacek Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Elsa was born on September 25, 1934, the 12th child of Heinrich and Leonide Arendt, in a German colony of farmers in New Guental, in the province of (Deutsche) Wolhynien, Ukraine. The family lived under Communism and Elsa received some schooling until the German front pushed through during WWII. While Elsa and her sister were picking blueberries in the summer of 1941, a German patrol told them they should go home. A skirmish occurred and Elsa was grazed by a bullet as the family was running to their cellar. It was one of many close calls the family would have during the war. After their home burned down the family moved to Zwiahel until they had to evacuate. They lived and worked on a construction train used for the war effort for a year and a half and then moved to Wartheland. They continued to move west until arriving in Schleswig Holstein. After the War, with the help of the U.S. Government, the Lutheran Church and a wealthy German family, Elsa’s family were accepted to come to the United States as displaced persons. After arriving by ship in 1952 they traveled to Roy, WA, eventually moving into Tacoma. They worked at various jobs including Elsa working at Day’s Tailoring factory. As the family settled into their new life, Elsa joined a roller-skating club and a Lutheran Church Club. The church clubs would entertain the military personnel. It was through this connection that Elsa met Donald Gloe, who was in the Army at Fort Lewis, WA. They were married on August 25, 1956 at Peace Lutheran Church in Tacoma, WA. After marriage, they moved to a farm north of Osmond and farmed there until 1985. After moving into Osmond, Elsa continued to help with raising their youngest child, doing in homecare and working in the kitchen at the hospital. She enjoyed gardening, roller skating, swimming, singing, dancing, and spending time with her family. Survivors include children Diana Behlers of Norfolk, Anita Gloe of Bakersfield, CA, Edith Gloe of Santa Clarita, CA, Lorenz Gloe of Omaha, Rachel (Mark) Pacha of Omaha, 7 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, brother Reinhold Arendt of Tacoma, WA, and many nieces and nephews. Elsa was preceded in death by her parents Heinrich and Leonide, five siblings in infancy and early childhood, brothers Oscar, Oswald, Robert, sisters Erika, Frieda, and Olga, son-in-law Rodney Behlers, and grandson Andrew Jansa. Casket bearers will be Aaron Behlers, Christopher Behlers, Kristen Beckman, Jared Pacha, David Gloe, Brooke Pacha. Condolences may be expressed to the family on-line at www.stonacekfuneralchapel.com.

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Elsa Gloe

September 25, 1934 - June 3, 2023