Mass of Christian Burial for Nonabelle Ellefson, age 85, of Philip, SD, formerly of Faith, SD, will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, July 21, 2008 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Faith. Father Marcin Garbacz and Father John Heying will officiate with burial to follow at the White Owl Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 pm to 6pm on Sunday, July 20, 2008 at the Faith Area Memorial Chapel and one hour prior to the service at the church Monday morning. A rosary/vigil service will be at 7pm on Sunday, July 20 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church.


Nonabelle Howie was born February 14, 1923 at Faith SD to Earl Delano and Rose Isabel (Hellekson) Howie. She attended Barada Rural School, graduated from Faith High School, and attended a year of college at Black Hills State. On December 26, 1940 she married Victor Julian Ellefson. Vic was a member of the 109th Engineers National Guard Unit in Sturgis. When the unit was activated in January of 1941 they moved to Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.


Following Vic's release, they returned to Marcus and bought the Ellefson ranch and raised the family there. Following Vic's death in 1978 and her son John's death in 1980, Nonabelle and her son Dennis continued to live on the ranch until it was sold in 1988 when she moved into Faith.


She was one of the organizers of the Marcus 4-H Club, the Community Club and helped with the renovation of the Marcus and Faith Community Halls. She helped serve many lunches at the high school and 4-H rodeo's to help with these projects. She joined the Faith Senior Citizens Center and loved the companionship and the participation.


Nonabelle loved young people and upon moving to Faith provided a place for many to call home during the school year. She encouraged sports participation and attended all the events. She traveled many miles to see them participate in football, basketball, softball, baseball and rodeo and was most thrilled when her son & grandson were State Rodeo Champions. She loved to dance, sew, cook, and was a gracious hostess. Her sewing machine traveled many miles teaching 4-H'ers and made many cheerleading outfits. On Saturday nights, you would find the Ellefsons at a dance and on Sunday they traveled across South Dakota for baseball games including the SD State Tournament in Eureka. Nonabelle was often the score keeper while Vic, and later Dennis, played.


In failing health, she moved to the Faith Living Center in 2002 and in February, 2005 she moved to the Philip Nursing Home and became a member of another big happy family. Her family thanks the wonderful personnel, doctors and friends for their kind and loving care the past three years and especially her last weeks.


Nonabelle Ellefson, age 85, longtime Faith/Marcus Area resident, passed away at the Philip Hospital Tuesday evening, July 15, 2008.


Grateful for having shared her life are one son, Dennis (Wanda) Ellefson,; one daughter, Annelle (George) Afdahl, both of Faith ,SD; a son-in-law, Norman (Kay) Backhaus, Manly IA; eight grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren; one sister, Bonnie Jean McAtee, Casper, WY; one uncle, Dell (Mary Helen) Hellekson, Rapid City, SD; one sister-in-law Mildred (Roy) VanSickle, Newell, SD; one brother-in-law, John Schmidt, Sturgis, SD; one brother-in-law, Irvin Thompson, Marcus, SD; and numerous, nieces, nephews and cousins.


Nonabelle was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Victor in 1978; son John in 1980; daughter Marlene Backhaus in 1999; sister Marion Thompson and brother-in-law, Tom McAtee.


A memorial has been established by the family.