Elna G. Bargman

Elna Ida Louise [Groth] Bargman quietly passed away on January 29, 2011 surrounded by her family. She was born January 11, 1922, the eldest of five children born to Fred and Anna Eschenburg Groth near West Point, Nebraska. She was baptized February 19, 1922 in infancy and educated and confirmed 1936 Palm Sunday all at Zion Lutheran Church and School near Bancroft. She worked in the area, then in California for a few years before her marriage to Dale Bargman of Pender on June 29, 1941 at Zion Lutheran Church. They lived on, and farmed his family’s farm. Four children were born to them there, Dale Jr., Larry, Bonnie and Barbara. After farming for 21 years, an opportunity presented itself to move to Colorado. There, Elna entered nurses training, and graduated from St Anthony’s Hospital School of Practical Nursing in Denver, in 1964 and she worked in her chosen field over 20 years. Upon her husband’s retirement, they moved to Chappell, Nebraska. After his death in 1989, she moved to Arizona, where her sons and their families lived. There she was a Nanny to newborn infants for seven years. In 1998 she moved to a Senior apartment in Mesa, Arizona, across the street from her church, Eternal Life Lutheran. Surviving are her four children: Dale and Dixie Bargman, Gilbert, Arizona, Larry Bargman, Casa Grande, Ariozona, Bonnie and Richard Rushing, Charlotte, North Carolina and Barbara and Daniel Luthye, Frederick, Colorado; eight grandchildren: Debora (Brett) Sterpel, David (Letitia) Bargman, Todd (Nicole) Bargman, Kimberly (John) Gutswiller, Travis (Heather) Rushing, Dustin (Suzanne) Rushing, Michelle (James) Kettleborough and ten great grandchildren. Her two Godchildren: Jane Tucker of Iowa and Fred Griffith of South Carolina; three sisters Irma Heinemann of Cerritos, California, Lorne Griffith of Charlotte, North Carolina and Ann and Elwood Bechtel of El Paso, Texas. She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, her parents and her brother Edwin Groth and his wife Elinor. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to: St. John’s Lutheran Church, Attn: Pastor Pingle, 2175 15th Road, Pender, NE 68047-4407. Arrangements entrusted to Mariposa Gardens Funeral Care (480) 830-4422