Elynor Irene Gustafson

Elynor Irene (Bopp) Gustafson, 84, passed away from natural causes on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015, at the Valley View Nursing Home in Glasgow, Mont.

There will be a memorial service held in New Salem at a later date with inurnment in the Bethel United Church of Christ Cemetery in the New Salem area.

She was born to Irene Lillian Johanna (Wullschleger) Bopp and William Karl Bopp on Jan. 20, 1931, in New Salem, N.D. She grew up on the family farm and attended country school. She then attended New Salem High School and graduated in 1949. She stayed in very close contact with class of '49 and annually made trips back to New Salem for get-togethers with the "girls". She was very close to two of her cousins who were in that graduation class.

She moved to Bismarck, N.D., after graduation and worked for the Conrad family, helping with taking care of the children and other duties in the house while she was attending secondary school in Bismarck. She then moved to Minneapolis, Minn., where she worked for a short while before following her sister out to the Tacoma, Wash., area. She was there for a time and then moved back to the Minneapolis area. One of her co-workers was from Montana and talked her into moving to Glasgow. She lived there for several years and then moved to Glendive, so that it wouldn't be as long a trip to be able to go back and forth to the New Salem, N.D., area.

While in Glendive, she met her future husband, Evert "Gus" Gustafson. Gus was from the Glasgow area and they were married in Glasgow on March 25, 1972 and moved back there at that time. She previously worked in the payroll department of the Glasgow school district until her retirement. Gus preceded her in death on Dec. 24, 2005.

She enjoyed walking, reading and attending church services in the different churches that he officiated at. She enjoyed the many short trips that she and Gus would go on. She was currently living at Valley View Home in Glasgow at the time of her death.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Loretta Kercher; a nephew, Dale Kercher; and her husband, Evert "Gus" Gustafson.

Survivors include one brother, Melvin Bopp, and his wife, Kathy, of Marion, Iowa; a brother-in-law, Ray Kercher, of Sacramento, Calif.; a niece, Liz Gerson, of Houghton, Mich.; and five nephews, Lee Kercher, Wayne Kercher and Brett Kercher, all in Sacramento, Chris Gerson of Cedar Rapids, Ia., Charles Gerson of Denver, Colo., as well as extended family in several states.

Bell Mortuary of Glasgow is in charge of arrangements.