Elinor L. "Ellie" Evenson

Ellie Evenson, resident of Brookings passed away Saturday, March 28, 2026 at The Neighborhoods in Brookings. She was 91. Funeral Services have been set for 10:30am Tuesday, April 7, 2026 at Ascension Lutheran Church, Brookings, SD. Visitation will be held from 5:00pm to 7:00pm Monday, April 6, 2026 at Rude's Funeral Home, Brookings, SD.

Elinor Lorene (Larkins) Evenson was born on September 21, 1934 to Lloyd and Katherine "Edna" (Walters) Larkins in their home in Chester NE. She was the second of two children. She was raised in Chester and graduated from Chester High School in 1952. Following graduation she moved to Lincoln, Nebraska to attend business college. While attending school Ellie worked a part time clerical position at the Cornhusker Hotel. She quickly realized that she was gaining more experience at her job and accepted a full-time bookkeeping position at the hotel.

While living in Lincoln, Ellie met and married the love of her life, Paul Evenson on April 11, 1959. Shortly after the wedding, Paul and Ellie moved to Brookings. Paul began work towards his doctorate degree at South Dakota State and Ellie worked as a secretary for the Dean of Agriculture. One year later Ellie and Paul began their family with the birth of their first child. With a new baby, Ellie decided to stay at home to raise their family. In October 1975, Ellie returned to work at the Accounting Office at South Dakota State. She retired from this position in 2000. Her greatest reward was working with staff on budgets and meeting college students while collecting tuition fees.

In retirement, Ellie only wanted to do volunteer work. She did clerical work at the Brooking Learning Center where she enjoyed meeting and talking with the instructors and students. She also volunteered at the AARP tax preparation site in Brookings where she enjoyed studying and preparing each year for the changes in the income tax returns and meeting the people needing help with their returns. She took great pride in the 20 years that she worked as a volunteer at both the Learning Center and AARP Tax Site. She often referred to the staff, students, and other volunteers as her family.

Ellie had a passion for music. In the early years in Brookings she taught music lessons to her children and piano lessons to more than 30 other students in the community. She also enjoyed singing in the choir at Ascension Lutheran Church which is something she enjoyed for more than 50 years. She greatly enjoyed singing with the Hopeful Spirit Chorale, an acapella group, that sang for hospice patients in the local nursing homes, hospitals and local homes.

Ellie was very proud of her home town, Chester Nebraska. Ellie enjoyed telling stories about her childhood and her time growing up in Nebraska. She spoke very fondly of her family and friends and the challenges her family had growing up during and after the depression.

Ellie was active in Sons of Norway, the Brookings Area Genealogical Society, and Ascension Lutheran Church, with which she was a charter member (1962). She also loved spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Ellie spent the last 3-½ years of her life at The Neighborhoods. The family would like to thank all the dedicated caregivers who took such wonderful care of Ellie. Their kindness and compassion will not be forgotten.

Ellie is preceded in death by her parents Lloyd and Edna Larkins, and brother and sister-in-law Robert and Barbara Larkins.

Ellie is survived by her four children: David Evenson of Marshall MN; Shirley (Calvin) Woods of Ham Lake, MN; Dale (Sis) Evenson of Bismarck, ND; and John Evenson of Newtown, PA; daughter-in-law Markel; twelve grandchildren: Dara (Chris) Eschbach, Brad Evenson, and Isac (Allyson) Evenson; Christy, Michael, Jackie (Uriah), Keith (Leah), Justin (Bruna), Josiah, Stephen (Sienna), Jubilee, Julianna Woods; three adopted grandchildren: Chaske, Roselove, Jonny; three step-grandchildren: Shannon (Josh), Michael (Autumn), and Marie (Patrick); and numerous great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, loving relatives and friends.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to the Habitat for Humanity, Teen Challenge of the Dakotas, Greenwood Cemetery, Brookings Regional Humane Society, or to the Brookings Children's Museum.