Elsie A. Christian

Elsie A. Christian

Elsie A. Christian, former long-time Niobrara County resident died Saturday, March 16 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Elsie was born near Ferguson, Iowa on June 5, 1910. In 1916 she came with her parents Maude and Alva Smith, and her siblings to Wyoming where they homesteaded near Keeline. She was married to George Christian in 1932 and to this union were born two children, Stanford Clark who is deceased and Georgeann who lives in Colorado Springs. Elsie and George moved to the old stage station near Hat Creek in 1945 where they ranched until 1964 when they moved to their new home east of Lusk.

After her husband's death in 1981, she continued to run the ranch until 1986 when failing health forced her to sell. In 1987 she moved to Colorado Springs.

Besides her parents, husband, and son, she was preceded in death by her brother Avery and sister Opal Boyd. She is survived by her daughter, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; also sisters Lucille Walter of Gillette, Ellen Smith of Parachute, Colo., and brothers Earl of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Merrill of Tulsa, Okla.

Elsie was very active in the community, volunteering her time and talents to various organizations. Her passion was painting, which she began as a girl with a paint set bought with her mother's egg money. She was well known throughout the area for her ranch and historical paintings. Among her contributions to the community are three mosaics she designed for the front of Niobrara County High School.

Elsie's family will bring her ashes to Lusk sometime this summer where she will be laid to rest next to her husband.

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