Elsie Marie Mickelson, 102

Elsie Marie Mickelson, 102, passed away peacefully at her home in Columbia Falls on Feb. 4, 2025, with her children by her side.

Elsie was born in South Haven, Minnesota on Feb. 8, 1922 to Peter and Ellen Keldsen.  Peter and Ellen had “wintered over” in South Haven with family, anticipating Elsie’s arrival.  In the spring, they returned to the Keldsen homestead near Westby, Montana, where Elsie was raised on the farm.  

She attended school in Westby, remembering winter sleigh rides to school with the other local children – the sleigh driven by her father Peter and pulled by her horse friend “Boy.”

She often spoke of the fun times spent boarding with a local family in Westby during winter months with her friend Gladys, and how they lived on canned corn and fudge, when they could gather the ingredients to make it. 

After graduating from Westby High School in 1940, Elsie attended Kinman Business School in Spokane, Washington.  On December 9, 1941, she married Harold Mickelson in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho.  Moving with Harold’s base assignments in the Army Air Corps, they travelled from Spokane to Pocatello, Idaho (where son Marvin was born), to Nebraska, to Great Falls, Montana.  Prior to Harold’s honorable discharge from the Army Air Corps in 1945, Elsie returned to Westby to live on the farm with Peter, Ellen and brother Kenneth, while awaiting the birth of Ronald. 

Upon discharge, Elsie, Harold, Marvin, and Ronald returned to Westby.  While living in Westby, Sharon, Lynda, Patricia, and Alan were born.  In early June of 1964, Elsie and family left Westby to move to Columbia Falls, traveling by way of Canada due to Highway 2 being washed out from the recent flood.  While living in Columbia Falls, Karen was born.  In 1966, after acquiring property on Middle Road south of Columbia Falls, Elsie and family moved for the final time where she remained in her home until her passing.

Elsie loved to read (“If you have a book to read, you’ll never be bored,” she would say), writing and receiving letters/post cards by mail, enjoyed doing needle work such as embroidery, knitting, crocheting, vegetable and flower gardening, loved watching her birds (especially humming birds), enjoyed visits from her deer and turkeys, learned how to use a personal computer, and was active in Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. 

Elsie loved music of all kinds and she sang in both church and community choirs.  Elsie loved being a Grandma and many grandchildren recall fond stories of her looking after them, either after school or babysitting them.  In 2024, Elsie was listed in a booklet Celebrating Montana’s Centenarians, published by the 55th Governor’s Conference on Aging.  Elsie also dearly loved her chocolate!

Elsie is preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Ellen, husband Harold, son Ronald, brother Kenneth Keldsen, great-great granddaughter Nellie Baker, and son-in-law Lance Hader. 

She is survived by son Marvin (Walker, Minnesota), daughters Sharon Hader (Pahrump, Nevada), Lynda Hill (Cooch Stoltz, Columbia Falls), Patricia Johnson (Columbia Falls), son Alan (Linda Schwartz, Covington/Shelton, Washington), daughter Karen Cowan (Shawn Cowan, Columbia Falls), niece Wendy Keldsen (Mark Patterson, Minot, North Dakota) plus 15 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 17 great-great-grandchildren, with a great-great grandchild on the way.

Elsie will be missed by many.  Her humility, graciousness, kindness and the way she lived her life was a role model for us all to aspire to.

For any memorial contributions, please send donations to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church or your charity of choice.  A late spring or early summer memorial service is being planned; details to be announced at a later date.  

Elsie’s online tribute page is located at columbiamortuary.com