The Funeral Service for Ida Eslinger, age 100 of Elgin, will be held at 10:30am MT Monday, February 6, 2012 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Elgin. Rev Jeremiah Olson will officiate with burial in Zion Lutheran Cemetery.

Special music will be provided by Marjorie Meuller.

Serving as Honorary Casketbearers are her granddaughters, Kay Tietz, Kathy Olson, DelRae Williams, Annette Momerak, and Dee Neustel. Serving as Active Casketbearers are her grandson, Grantt Eslinger †, Scott Eslinger, Todd Eslinger, Brentt Eslinger, Terry Eslinger, Darren Redman, Steve Bellon, Monte Bellon, and Michael Bellon.

Visitation will be on Sunday from 1:00 to the time of the family gathering at 7:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Elgin and on Monday one hour prior to services at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Elgin.

A memorial has been established.

Ida Eslinger was born September 5, 1911 at Sutton, Nebraska. She was the first child of John and Elizabeth (Zimbelman) Zimmerle. At age five the family moved to a farm west of Carson. Her father died when she was eleven years old. Her mother married John Eslinger, Sr and they moved to a farm north of New Leipzig. After grade school she did domestic work in the area.

On October 16, 1929 Ida married Gust Eslinger. They first lived on a farm north of New Leipzig and later purchased a farm north of Elgin. Ida was an excellent partner in their farming operation. She helped wherever there was work to be done, whether making hay, harvesting, working with the cattle or fixing fence. She raised chickens and milked the cows, selling the eggs and cream to supplement the family income. There were times when her younger brothers needed a place to stay and they knew they were always welcome at the home of Gust and Ida. Ida was a very caring person. She babysat, took care of her ailing mother and others in their time of need.

In 1963 Gust and Ida moved to Elgin and for a few years continued to farm with their son Wilmer, who later purchased the family farm. Gust passed away on December 5, 1973.

Ida enjoyed working in her garden and having her family come to visit. If she knew they were coming she always had their favorite foods, such as German potato salad, strudel, caramel rolls, kuchen and sour cream raisin pie. No one ever left her house hungry and food may have been sent home with them.

Ida was a member of Zion Lutheran Church and belonged to the ladies aid, which she referred to as the German Ladies Aid.

In August 2002, Ida became a resident of Dakota Hill Housing, where she resided until December 15, 2011 when she became a resident of Jacobson Memorial Hospital and Care Center. She passed away there on February 1, 2012.

Ida is survived by her five children, Wilmer (Alta) Eslinger, Elgin, ND; Marlyn Redman, Minot, ND; Lester (Janice) Eslinger, Minot, ND; Nita (JeRay) Bellon, Arizona City, AZ; and Geraldine Bellon, Mandan, ND; thirteen grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren; and six great-great grandchildren; two half- sisters, Luella (Eslinger) Clevenger and Delores (Eslinger) Stevens, and one step-sister, Viola (Eslinger) Boknecht.

Ida was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Gust; two sons-in-law, Lilburn Redman and Gerald Bellon; one grandson, Grantt Eslinger; and her brothers, Leon, Gilbert, Richard, and John Zimmerle, and her sister, Clara (Zimmerle) Edinger.