Elaine Clara Tegeler

Elaine Clara Munson was born November 10, 1929 in Park City, Utah. She grew up in Ely, Nevada, graduated in 1947 from White Pine High School, and worked in the White Pine County Recorder's Office after graduation.

She moved to Reno, Nevada in 1952 where she was employed by Nevada Title Company. Subsequently, she was employed by the Federal Social Security Office, and later transferred to Stead Air Force Base at Reno, where she worked in the Civilian Personnel Office.

It was at Stead that she met her future husband, Paul Tegeler, also an employee there. She would comment that he caught her eye when he would pass by her desk. She said he was easy to talk with and they had a wonderful courtship. They were married in 1957 at St. Albert the Great Catholic Church in Reno and bought their first house in Sparks. Their three children, Lynn, Thomas (Tom), and Janet were all born in Reno. She left her job when she became a mother.

The family moved to Aurora, Colorado in 1966, transferring with Paul's job when Stead Air Force Base closed. Elaine continued her role as a homemaker and mother. She was an excellent cook and baker, preparing tasty multi-course dinners and home-made desserts. She became good friends with some of the neighbor ladies, loved to read and check out books at the library, and joined a bowling league for a time. She was a great mom, gave her kids freedom to explore, be with their friends, and learn from their mistakes. She wasn't strict, she said she grew up poor and she and her siblings had to help their mom and the family from an early age. She said adulthood comes fast enough; you're kids only once. She did not like wastefulness, whether it was water, food, or anything else. Her sons-in-law liked to tease her, she'd carry bags in her purse for leftover food and tear napkins and paper towels in half, saving the other half for later. She was also a serious recycler.

She and Paul retired in Loveland, Colorado in 1992, joined St. John the Evangelical Catholic Parish, made new friends and maintained old friendships. They took some trips abroad and in the states. She and Paul also spent many hours researching and traveling to places involving her mother's (Blair) family history, including Meeker, Steamboat Springs, and various places in Utah and Wyoming. She enjoyed finding treasures at garage sales and thrift stores, as well as holding garage sales at their home. Gathering the family for holiday dinners was special and important to her, whether at their home or one of the kid's. Wanting to volunteer in their community, she and Paul delivered meals for the local Meals on Wheels program for seventeen years, deciding to retire when she was 91, dealing with some health issues at the time, Paul was 92.

Elaine was preceded in death by her parents Doyle and Clara Munson, sisters Dorothy DeRoy and Maxine Calahan, brothers Gary Munson, Bert Munson, Perry Steadman, and Doyle Munson. Survivors include her children Lynn and husband Joseph Sweeney, Tom and wife Keiko, and Janet and husband Brent McBride, grandchildren Daniel Sweeney and wife Sucheta Baliga, Laurel (Sweeney) and husband Marshall Fisher, Jena Tegeler and wife Christina Shivers, Taiyo Tegeler, Spencer McBride, and Garrett McBride.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Meals on Wheels of Loveland and Berthoud, Colorado or any charity of your choice.

Services are viewable via livestream through this link: https://youtube.com/live/MDvcBtv7Kvc?feature=share