Elaine Audrey (Weitzman) Gilbertson was born on March 1, 1939 to Ernest (Ralph) and Catherine Weitzman in Mazomanie, WI.  She graduated from Mazomanie High school and then attended college at the University of Wisconsin River Falls where she met her future husband, Laverne (Vern) Gilbertson. Elaine and Vern were married on August 22, 1958 in a ceremony at Moe Lutheran Church in Clear Lake, WI. They lived briefly in St. Cloud, Minnesota and Grantsburg, Wisconsin while Vern established himself in a teaching career and they started a family. In 1962, Vern took a teaching job at St. Francis High School and they subsequently bought a home on Lake George to raise their four children.

When the children were all in school, Elaine went back to college and then began a career as a surgical technician at Memorial Hospital in Cambridge (now Cambridge Medical Center). She worked there for 20 years until her retirement in 1997. Her energy and creativity were boundless. Her hobbies included sewing (she was a master seamstress), arts and crafts projects, tending her numerous flower gardens, and keeping the birds around their home on Lake George well fed.  Elaine was a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother to 10 grandchildren, whom were a joy to her. She loved when they would visit and stayed very involved in their lives. She proudly displayed all their pictures on the dining room wall and could update all visitors on them.

Diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006, she battled the disease for 13 years until she chose hospice care. Her family is grateful for the Allina Hospice team (Sheree, Ann, Sandy, Michelle and the rest of the wonderful staff). She is survived by her husband Vern, children: Corey (Jodi) of Wyoming, MN; Owen of Oak Grove MN; Tamara (Gary) Lamoureux of Palm City, FL, Holly (Jim) Renn of Rochester, MN and grandchildren (Cayla, Bryce, and Nick Gilbertson), (Steven, Kyrstin, Sarah, and Adam Renn), (Kyle, Kevin,and Noah Larson). Brothers - Dennis (Ellen) Weitzman of Littleton CO; Ralph (Joyce) Weitzman of Sun Prairie, WI; Sisters - Pat Erstad of Maple Grove, MN, Nyla (Bob) Wiebe of Richmond, CA, Mary Hanson of Florence, AZ, Helen (Stan) Linder of Whitewater, WI and numerous nieces and nephews.  She is preceded in death by her parents Catherine and Ernest (Ralph) Weitzman and brother Karl Weitzman.

A memorial service will be held in the future celebrating Elaine and Vern's life together. This will be held at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Cedar, Minnesota after Vern passes. They vowed "til death due us part," but made a new vow of "together forever" and will have their ashes placed together at Moe Lutheran Church in Clear Lake, Wisconsin; the church where they married on August 22, 1958.  In lieu of flowers and memorials, Vern asks that you dedicate some time to serving others in Elaine's memory.