Memorial gifts may be directed in Elaine’s memory to Union State Line Lutheran Church in Petersburg, Minn.

Elaine Claire Anderson, daughter of Howard and Grace (Chance) Anderson, was born on Aug. 19, 1944, on the family farm in Silver Lake Township, Martin County, Minn. She attended country school a half mile from the farm and graduated from Fairmont High School in 1962. On Oct. 1, 1964, Elaine was united in marriage to Wayne Swanson of Fairmont. They lived in Spirit Lake, Iowa, where they welcomed their daughter Christine. Following Wayne’s tragic death in a work accident on April 28, 1967, Elaine and Chris moved to Jackson where Elaine attended and worked at the local Vocational School. She met Joseph Wieskus of Petersburg and there has been a 56-year debate about which one spoke to the other first. They were married on March 8, 1969, at Union State Line Lutheran Church in Petersburg. They bought their dream home in Jackson where they lived together throughout their marriage, and they were blessed with two additional children, Gregg and Robin.

She loved staying home with her kids when they were young, and once they got older, Elaine began working as the assistant to the school nurse and as a library aid for the Jackson Public Schools. She loved caring for all the kids and immensely enjoyed coffee breaks and laughter with her coworkers. Elaine was a very active member of Union State Line Lutheran Church, where she was a member of Circle and served as secretary for many years.

Elaine’s greatest passion was her family and her grandkids. She showered them with love, and their happiness was all that mattered to her. Elaine also loved her siblings, nieces and nephews, and many dear friends. She cherished each of these relationships. She was a great

storyteller and loved to make people laugh. One of her greatest gifts was making everyone feel loved and cared for, and she was greatly loved in return.

Elaine passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, surrounded by her family at Temperance Lake Ridge Memory Care.

She will be deeply missed by her loving husband, Joe, and her kids, Christine (Swanson) Howerton and her husband Winston of Lanesboro, Gregg Wieskus and his wife Kathy of Bloomington, and Robin (Wieskus) Archer and her husband Nick of Minneapolis. She will also be deeply missed by her grandchildren, Regan, Layton, and Brynn Howerton, and Ben and Lauren Wieskus. She is also survived by her sisters Arlene Hewett, Sharon (Darb) Niss, and Audre Anderson, her sisters-in-law Marie (John) Seeman and Fern (Swanson) Fisher, brother-in-law Roy (Jean) Swanson, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents and her first husband, Wayne, she is preceded in death by her in laws Leroy and Lydia Swanson and John and Gladys Wieskus, her siblings Richard Anderson, Maxine Maschoff, Lois Reineke, and Donna Najt, her sisters-in-law Marilyn Anderson and Barb Wieskus, brothers-in-law Lyle Maschoff, Wally Reineke, Jim Hewett, Bill Summers, Ray Fisher, Dean Wieskus, and several beloved nieces and nephews.

Blessed be the memory of Elaine Claire Wieskus.

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