Ruth Elfstrom, 99, Sep. 7, 1911 - Jun. 12, 2011

Ruth Elfstrom, a longtime resident of Wheaton, died Sunday, Jun. 12. She was 99.

She was born September 7, 1911 in Caribou, MN. She was a graduate of Higgins Classical Institute and Colby College, where she earned a bachelor's degree in English literature.

She taught English and was a dean of women at Lee Academy, a private New England secondary school. She was a sale representative for Field Enterprises in Chicago for 10 years. She studied the pipe organ for four years at the American Conservatory of Music and became a member of the American Guild of Organists in 1945. She served as an organist and choir director for two Chicago churches of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of america and later served as an interim organist at the Glen Ellyn Evangelical Covenant Church. She also taught private piano and violin lessons for 16 years.

She is survived by two daughters, Debra (James) Costas and Judith (Richard) De Poe, both of Wheaton, IL; and two grandchildren, Timothy (Say) Liou and Lisa (Steve) Shebar. She also had three great-grandchildren: Kayla, Ben, and Michael Shebar.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Orin; and a grandson, Peter Liou.

Visitation will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jun. 22 at Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton, where a funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jun. 23.