Elaine D. Steffen
August 20, 1935 ~ December 27, 2024
Born in:
Hillsboro, North Dakota
Resided in:
Aurora, Colorado
Elaine’s service will be livestreamed below at 2:00 pm, Saturday, January 18, 2025
Elaine Dorothea Steffen, 89, passed away too quickly on December 27, 2024, in Hillsboro Medical Center. She was born August 20, 1935, to Doris and Henry Steffen. She grew up in Blanchard with five brothers and one sister. She was in the process of moving her residency back to Hillsboro from Denver, Colorado, where she had lived the majority of her life after graduation from Hillsboro High School. She loved Denver but wanted to return to her home state and family.
Elaine loved life! She loved a good story or joke. Her laugh was contagious. She loved people and family was especially important to her. She made sure she traveled back to Hillsboro at least twice a year, summer and Christmas. And she loved to have company in Denver. When people stayed with her, she never hesitated to give up her bed and sleep on the couch. She enjoyed making fabulous meals for her guests. Elaine visited the well-known sites of Denver with her visitors, never complaining about the number of times she had already been there. A great hostess!
When Elaine wasn’t entertaining, she spent time knitting, searching for new recipes, or sometimes going to the casino to play the slots. She also loved to dance, especially the polka. Helping other people also took up her time: driving them to doctor appointments, providing meals and company.
Elaine worked as an executive administrative assistant to four different chairmen of the Department of Psychiatry and the superintendent of the Colorado Health Service Center. After 35 years of service, she was the recipient of the Governors’ Award for Peak Performance in State Government. As office liaison for many programs, she proved to be an efficient problem solver and positive advocate for many programs at the Mental Health Division and the Department of Corrections. Under her assistance, many of the programs were expanded and became nationally recognized. After the award, she continued her work there for seven more years when she retired with 42 years of service. She was exceptional at her job as well as being liked and admired by her employers and coworkers. While Elaine never married, she had a huge and loving family.
She is survived by her sister, Majorie Riemer of Hillsboro, ND; brothers, Willard Steffen of Fergus Falls, MN and Robert Steffen (Susan) of Dayton, MN; sisters-in-law, JoAnne Steffen of Fargo, ND, and Sharon Steffen of Grand Forks, ND; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by three brothers, Raymond Steffen, Walter Steffen and Elroy Steffen; brother-in-law, Donald Riemer; sisters-in-law, Georgia Steffen and Carolyn Steffen.
Elaine was very appropriately named. From the Greek root it means “Light”. It also goes on to say those named Elaine means an individual who is very likable and original. All who know her love her. She likes the joy of sharing and giving and enjoys the testing of her mind. She is graceful and charming is respected and admired by others. She definitely was given the appropriate name.
Elaine will be missed by so many because of the lives she touched. Her laughter will be remembered.
Services
Visitation: January 18, 2025 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
St. John Lutheran Church Hillsboro
204 2nd Street NW
Hillsboro, North Dakota 58045
(701636-4692
Memorial: January 18, 2025 2:00 pm
St. John Lutheran Church Hillsboro
204 2nd Street NW
Hillsboro, North Dakota 58045
(701636-4692
Elaine was one of the nicest people I have ever met. She helped me out on many occasions, even when I needed help on very short notice. She was a good neighbor and friend and I will miss her tremendously. My condolences go out to her entire family at this difficult time..
So many memories! In the late 1950’s gradually moving to Denver in the late 1950’s, we gathered, renting a big house in Denver, near to our jobs – mostly Hospitals and Lowry AFB. Our other roommates were Carol Reinan Brungardt, Evelyn Peterson, Bev Woitzel, and Lillian Peterson Wolman.
We all loved laughing over most anything! Especially our fun parties at the house with guy friends from Lowry or the hospitals. Eventually, we all gradually moved back to ND and MN except for Elaine who always remained in Colorado. It was always special when our siblings or relatives from ND would come for a visit to Colorado!
My sympathy to Marjorie and her brother who I knew from ND Walther League. So glad to see her photo here as I never got to see her again after moving back to Minneapolis where I met my husband, Ron.
Sunday Jan 12 2025 My Dear Sweet Elaine: I remember that day I last saw you in Denver on Tuesday, December 17 2024. We looked at each other, you sat quietly when I walked out the room. We just knew that would be our last day. I smiled and winked. I said a prayer for her. I was soo happy her relatives were coming for her.
We Loved Elaine soo much. She was always jovial, funny, kind. She is someone Special in my Heart forever We will never ever forget her. I’m sooo extremely happy She Was Able to Get Back Home! Thank you for picking her up. Love Ya My Dear Friend. Rest In Peace!! Love your Friend Zaida.
Sending my deepest sympathy to her family and thanks for getting her back to North Dakota to be with all of you.
I first met Elaine in 1985 when I transferred to the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado Medical Center. She ran the Chairman’s office. I’m not sure what year she started there, but she worked for Drs Pardes, Carter, Shore, Freedman and Epperson – I would guess she is the only person at the University of Colorado to serve so many chairmen of a department, which is a highly demanding position (hers). Elaine was a master at her job. She had an excellent memory and could practically name anyone who ever walked through her office door (and their spouse, and sometimes their kids!). With age, she never lost that ability. She was, as the saying goes, sharp as a tack. She was extremely conscientious and thoughtful.
But when she wasn’t working at her very serious job, she was a really fun-loving person. She had many, many friends in the Department, and started a retiree lunch group that went on for many years. Everyone loved Elaine. I recall some fun trips “up the mountain” to gamble (she won, I never did!)
I loved an anecdote from her apartment near campus in Denver – there was a little girl living there who “helped” Elaine with a sewing project, and she called “thread” FRED. So for some time I would call Elaine Fred. She loved that little girl, who is now probably in her late 40’s. I bet she has that fond memory as well.
Since the pandemic, we have mostly been in touch by phone, and during the last year she was dedicated to getting her townhome ready for sale, which she valiantly did, even when experiencing a fall, some other health issues, and some painful family losses. She was a trooper, always.
I join the large group of people who will miss her dearly. Goodbye, dear friend, you’ll not be forgotten.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Elaine”s family. Elaine was truly a special lady and a very good friend. I enjoyed the time we spent together. She was always willing to help those around her. Special memories will be cherished. Will be missed.
I met Elaine in 1976 when I started in the Psychiatry Department. Over the years it was apparent that she was the “history” of the place. 5 Department Chairs with several “place holders” here and there. she knew how it all worked. With wonderful, quiet humor and incredible delicate skill, if you needed something done, Elaine knew how to do it or whom to talk to. I cannot express how valuable that skill is.
This fall Elaine called me several times to do some “heavy lifting” to get the condo ready to sell. Moving and recycling books, records, reshuffling the garage. She knew what she wanted done. But afterwards, we would sit on the couch and talk. I was the archivist for the Department and asked (several times} to let me record an interview. She always demurred, didn’t want to record her incredible tenure and all the folks she worked with. BUT, then sitting on the couch she would relate wonderful stories from 4 decades of experience. We would laugh and I agreed, some of those stories were best left just between us. I will miss her laughter and just plain goodness. The Department has no idea what they have lost.
Always enjoyed our one a year meeting. I will have to visit your favorite casino and look for your favorite slot and drop a dollar is it for you.