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Obituary for Eleanor E. Elsen


Eleanor E. Elsen, 99, of Bangor, passed away March 4, 2023.

She was born January 17, 1924, in Burr Oak to John and Esther (Pfaff) Kastenschmidt. On August 29, 1940, she was united in marriage to Donald W. Elsen at St. Mary’s in Bangor. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Bangor and a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.

Survivors include two daughters, LaVonne (Freemon) Tart and Dorothy (Richard) Tenner, both of Bangor; two sons, John (Ruth) of Rockland and James (Cindy) of Sparta; nine grandchildren, Donald (Toni) Tart, Bangor; Randall (Staci) Tenner, Donna (Paul) Schaller, Ryan (Julie) Tenner, Bangor; Maria (Travis) Freismuth, Rockland; Pamela (Ben) Hoth, Mathias (Mindy) Elsen, Bangor; and Myles (Sadie) Elsen of DePere; two step-grandchildren, James Linderoth, Kayla Linderoth-Rivera of La Crosse/Onalaska; sixteen great-grandchildren, Kodi, Karlee and Kasey Tart; Devin (Jordan) Skaar and Kirsten Tenner; Kelsie (Brandon) Giebel, Anya Tenner; Kassandra and Landen Friesmuth, Mya Hoth; Levi, Barrett and Zander Elsen; and Jace, Brynnley and Zoey Elsen; four step-great-grandchildren, Sophia Linderoth; Karyna, Arianna, and Cecilia Rivera; two great-great-grandsons, Sabastian Kurtz-Tart and Jaydan Skaar; two great-great-granddaughters, Everleigh and Magnolia Giebel; sister-in-law, Wilma Kastenschmidt;and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Eleanor is preceded in death by her husband, Donald; her parents and parents-in-law; brother, Arlan Kastenschmidt; brothers in-law, Harold Elsen and Howard Duncan; four sisters-in-law, Sophia Elsen, Agnes Elsen Duncan, Fern Smith Elsen, and Helen Haack Elsen; and her grandson, Tyler Elsen.

Eleanor will be greatly missed by her family and friends

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m., March 11, 2023, at St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish (formerly, St. Leo’s) in West Salem. Msgr. Jeffrey Burrill will officiate. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Bangor. Friends may call at church, from 9 a.m., until the time of Mass, Saturday, at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Bangor Historical Society or St. Teresa of Kolkata Parish in West Salem.

A special thanks to the nursing staff at Morrow Memorial Home, Sparta, and the Mayo Hospice staff for the wonderful care given to Eleanor.

Online condolences may be offered on this site.