Elenora Bevins

Elenora E. Bevins, age 90 of West St. Paul, formerly of Cottage Grove, passed away April 14, 2020.

A private service and interment will be done at this time due to the COVID challenges.  A celebration of her life will be planned for a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Minnesota Veteran’s Home in Hastings.

Elenora Emelia Bevins was born on December 29, 1929 to Ole and Olivia Thompson in Land Township, Grant County, Minnesota.  After the death of her mother, she lived with her sisters for the next several years.  Elenora graduated from Elbow Lake High School in 1948.  She met the love of her life Lester Bevins and they were married on November 19, 1948 in Elbow Lake, MN.   They moved to St. Paul in 1953 and she took a position at the munitions plant in Arden Hills and later worked at Brown and Bigelow as well as Mullery Paper Packaging.

In March of 1960 they built their home in Cottage Grove where they enjoyed many years together as their children grew up.  She loved being a “stay at home mom” where she became an excellent seamstress, giving  her daughter’s “permanents”, sewing, gardening and fluent in many other domestic areas.  She enjoyed children and provided childcare to families in the neighborhood.  Elenora worked at District 833 as a dessert cook for a few years until taking a position with the State of Minnesota, serving as a clerk in the Sales Tax Department until she retired in 1991.

She and Lester were charter members of Resurrection Lutheran Church, which later became All Saint’s Lutheran.  She continued to stay active in a variety of things including the Quilting Group.  Elenora was an excellent cook and well known for her lefsa making ability.  For many years they enjoyed the winter months in Texas and going on various trips.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 70 years, Lester; parents and 13 siblings.  She is survived by daughters Avis (Wayne) Lorenz and Verna (Alan) Hultman; 6 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren and 3 step great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.