Else E. Kalfas

Else E. Kalfas; Born on October 3, 1926 in Omaha, Nebraska to Hans Jensen & Karen Marie Jensen (Rasmussen). She & her three brothers are 1st generation Americans to their parents who immigrated here from Kragelund, Denmark. Else grew up in Omaha & attended her much loved one room school until 1939 when the family relocated to Lombard, Illinois where she graduated from Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, IL.Else was signed up for nursing school and working at Robeling Wire Rope Company in Chicago when she met Bill (William) Kalfas. They fell in love, nursing school got put on hold and in 1952 they wed at the DuPage County Courthouse in Wheaton and headed to Albuquerque, New Mexico where Bill was stationed at Sandia Army Base to carry out his enlisted duty to the U.S. Air Force, and Else worked in the human relations department on the base. Two children were born on the base; Karen Marie in 1954 & Neil William in 1955. Back to civilian duty and Chicago, where Bill returned to Robeling and was soon transferred to Cicero, Indiana. Two more sons followed; Daniel Bruce in 1959 & William (Bill) Bruce in 1964. In 1967 the family returned to the Chicago suburbs and set up home in Wheaton, Illinois. Here Else maintained the home and raised her children. As they became more independent she returned to the workforce selling World Book encyclopedias, working for the Wheaton School District Library Processing Center, and served on the DuPage County Board of Elections.Bill & Else lived in; Albuquerque, NM, North Riverside, IL, Cicero, IN, Wheaton, IL, St. Paul, MN, Lake Pewaukee, WI and finally Wilmington, NC, where Bill retired and they enjoyed living near the ocean in the company of many friends. Bill preceded Else in death in 2006 & Else moved to Longmont, CO in 2007 to be closer to children and grandchildren. In Longmont she enjoyed watching her grandsons play baseball, hockey & the saxophone & enjoyed being involved with the Longmont Senior Center where she fostered her talents for art & sewing with painting & drawing classes & quilting. She also really enjoyed playing Mah Jong & lovedall the friends she met at the senior center & in her neighborhood.Else is survived by: her older brother, Harry Jensen (1922) in Carol Stream, Illinois, daughter; Karen Kalfas & spouse John Hollis, sons; Neil Kalfas & spouse Sandra Kalfas (Martin), Dan Kalfas & spouse Julie Steffens-Kalfas and Bill Kalfas & spouse Denise Kalfas (Tracy), grandchildren; Andrea & Martin Kalfas (Neil & Sandra), Daniel & Ryan Kalfas (Bill & Denise) and step-granddaughters; Valesca Teuscher (Steffens) & Emma Hicks (Steffens) (Dan & Julie), great-grandchildren; Peyton Hicks (Emma & Spencer Hicks) & Mile Teuscher (Valeska & Tony Teuscher).Else was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, sister & friend and will be greatly missed. A memorial celebrating her life will be held at Ahlberg Funeral Chapel. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to, Tru Community Care, in the care of Ahlberg Funeral Chapel. Visit www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com to share condolences.