MINNIE ELSING, age 97, of Worthington, died Friday, September 8, 2017, at the South Shore Care Center in Worthington. She was born December 23, 1919 in Worthington Township, Nobles County, to Peter K. and Clara (Haarsma) Reitsma. Minnie received most of her education at the Bigelow School. At the age of fourteen, Minnie did housekeeping for families in Worthington until her marriage.

   Minnie Reitsma married John George Elsing on November 19, 1940 at the Christian Reformed Church in Bigelow, MN. After their marriage, they lived on a farm near Wilmont. In 1952, they moved into Rushmore where she worked at McNab Grocery Store, Lowes Hardware, and the Rushmore Cafe. She retired in 1969 from those jobs only to take up cake decorating with her sister-in-law, Henrietta Elsing. Minnie fully retired from cake decorating in 1995 when she moved into an apartment in Worthington.

    She was a member of East Friesland Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and held various offices of the Women's Dorcas Society. When she moved to Worthington, she became a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Worthington. She was also an active member of the Rushmore Senior Citizens.

   Minnie is survived by her three daughters, Eunice Ailts, Worthington; Ruth (Harold) Dykstra, Ocheyedan, IA; Phyllis (Dennis) Meyer, Rushmore; one son, Jim (Barb) Elsing, Fulda; two sons-in-law, Richard Rutgers, Brewster; and Donald (Bonnie) Eide, Webster; two sisters, Jeannette VandenBosch, Twin Falls, ID; and Clara Marie Peters, Sunnyside, WA; special nephew, Glenn Reitsma; eighteen grandchildren; forty nine great grandchildren; six step great grandchildren; a great great grandchild; and five step great great grandchildren.

   She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, John, on February 13, 1983; two daughters, Clarice Rutgers, on April 13, 2004; and Ellen Eide, on July 3, 2005; two infant daughters, Mary Beth, on April 3, 1958; and Jolene Beth, on February 2, 1959,  son-in-law, Bob Ailts; two great grandchildren, Rachel Hansen and John Kukowski; three brothers, Carl, John & Peter; two infant brothers; two sisters, Tillie Struiksma, Ellen Vogel; and two infant sisters.

   Visitation will be from 4-7 pm Sunday at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Worthington. Because of construction, please enter funeral home parking lot from the north. Visitation also one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Funeral will be 10:30 am Monday at the Worthington Christian Reformed Church, in Worthington, officiated by Pastor Adam Eisenga. Burial will be in the Sunset Rest Cemetery in Rushmore.

   To view an online obituary, sign a virtual register book or order flowers, please visit www.dingmannandsons.com

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