Elaine Balder - 86
Foley
June 4, 1927 -August 18, 2013
Elaine Balder, age 86, of Foley, died Sunday, August 18, 2013 surrounded by her family at the home of her daughter Richelle in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.
Memorial Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at St. John's Catholic Church, Foley. The Rev. Anthony Criscitelli T.O.R. will officiate.  Interment will be in the Parish Cemetery.
Friends may call from 4 to 8 Monday at the Foley Funeral Home in Foley and 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Tuesday.  Arrangements were made by the Foley Funeral Home.
Elaine Balder was born June 4, 1927 in rural Foley to Ed and Ellen (Carlin) Dziuk.  She married Richard Balder on June 22, 1948 at St. John's Catholic Church.  Elaine lived most of her life in St. George Township, Benton Co.  She taught in Sauk Rapids, Oak Park and Foley Public Schools from 1946-1988.  She retired in 1988 and continued to sub in Foley schools until 2008.  About her students, Elaine recently said " I loved my kids.  I wanted each of them to know they were special, that they made a difference, that they were important.  I wanted each of them to be heard, especially the shy ones."  Elaine was a charter member and very active in the Foley Area C.A.R.E. organization, and life-long member of St. John's Catholic Church.  She loved all things Irish, music, quilting, sewing, embroidery, traveling and flower gardening.  Elaine quietly helped people in need in her community, and across the world through the St. John's women's mission group.  Most importantly, Elaine cherished  time spent with family and friends.  She and Richard were very proud of their family, and joyfully supported each of them in every possible way.  As Richard died on June 15, 2013, he and Elaine were just one week shy of celebrating 65 years of marriage on June 22.
She is survived by her sons and daughters; Gerry (Lorri), Cottage Grove; Richelle (Gary) Jader, Lake Elmo; Tim (Mary), Stillwater; Maurice (Traci), Foley; Collette (Tim) Miller, Shoreview; Pat (Candace Wruck), Maple Grove; 18 grandchildren; brothers, Philip, Homer Il; Harold, Bigfork, MN and a  sister, Kathleen Petroske, St. Cloud.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard, infant daughter, Mary Ellen, parents and infant brother, Bobby.  Memorials are preferred to Poor Clares Monastery, 421 4th St. So., Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 and Foley  Public Elementary School, 743 Penn St., Foley, MN 56329.

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