Dorothy Elfgren

Dorothy Elfgren passed away on September 11, 2010 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska at the age of 96. She was born August 15, 1914 to Ina Oatley in East Killingly, Connecticut. She was adopted at a young age by her grandparents, Henry and Ellie Oatley. While growing up, she lived with her grandparents in a two-tenant house. Her mother Ina and stepfather, Harold Brooks and siblings lived in the other side of the house. She attended school in East Killingly until the age of 18, when she went to work in the office at the Acme mill. She was united in marriage to Ernest T. Elfgren on September 22, 1935 at Port Ann, New York. They were parents of six children – Oscar, Carl, Sandra, Roger, Linda and Donna. Dorothy was a devoted wife and mother. Her family was her main focus in life. She resided in Connecticut until 1955 when she became a modern day pioneer, traveling with her husband and family to Nebraska in a covered wagon, getting to Broken Bow, Nebraska in August of 1956. She resided in Berwyn until the family moved to Gothenburg and then later to Lexington, where she lived in her own home until her death. She enjoyed traveling and returned to Connecticut several times to visit the many relatives that resided in the east. All you had to do is call Mom up, tell her to get ready because we were going shopping or some place and she was ready to go. Dorothy loved to embroider and knit. She knitted afghans for all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and was a blanketeer for Project Linus. People were always welcome in her home and when someone showed up at mealtime, she set an extra plate on the table. When visiting with Dorothy, she gifted them with one of the many dishcloths she had knit. Dorothy had 15 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren and throughout the years, was known as “Gramma Dot” to many. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest; parents Ina and Harold Brooks; grandparents Henry and Ellie Oatley; brother Henry Brooks; sisters Florence Osterhoudt and Alice Griffin; sister-in-law Hildur Weeden; brother-in-laws Ralph Elfgren and Arthur Elfgren and daughter-in-law Irene Elfgren. Survivors include three sons, Oscar Elfgren, Lexington; Carl Elfgren, Overton; and Roger Elfgren, Elm Creek; three daughters, Sandra Dunkel and husband Jr., Broken Bow; Linda Smith and husband Delbert, Cozad; and Donna Hatfield and husband Michael, Lexington; 15 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Allen Brooks of Brooklyn, Connecticut; sister-in-law, Wynne Brooks, Madison, Wisconsin; sister-in-law, Francis Pechie, East Killingly, Connecticut; several nieces, nephews and special family friends, Phyllis Samp, Westerville; and Dick and Ann Bush, Pahrump, Nevada. Funeral services will be held Wednesday September 15, 2010 at 10:30 AM at Govier Bros. Mortuary in Broken Bow with Reverend Roger Sloan officiating. Burial will be in the Broken Bow Cemetery with Govier Bros. Mortuary of Broken Bow in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will be held Tuesday 8 AM to 8 PM at Govier Bros. Mortuary with the family greeting friends 6 PM to 8 PM.