Elaine C. Lockridge

Elaine Carol Lockridge, 84, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2026, after living with dementia. A celebration of her life will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, November 14, 2026 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1105 Grand Ave. in West Des Moines with visitation from 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Entombment will be at a later date at Resthaven Mausoleum.

She was born on March 10, 1942, in Tyler, Minnesota, to Arthur and Olga Sorensen. Elaine grew up on a dairy farm with her sister, Jan, and her brothers, Arnie and Leon Sorensen. Growing up on the farm taught her many of the things she would carry with her throughout her life. From her mother, Olga, she learned to cook, garden, and keep a home. She also developed a lifelong love of animals, especially cats.

After high school, Elaine moved to Des Moines, IA, to attend Grand View College. There she met her college roommate and lifelong friend, Esther. After college, Elaine and Esther moved to Los Angeles, where they spent a year working as bank tellers before returning to Des Moines. It was after they returned to Des Moines that Elaine met the love of her life, Larry Lockridge. Esther, who was dating Larry's brother, Dick, at the time, arranged for Elaine and Larry to meet on a blind date at a softball game. The plan worked. Elaine married Larry in 1963, and, in a wonderful coincidence, Esther and Dick also ended up marrying the brothers.

After a short time living in California following the birth of their son, Rick, Elaine and Larry settled in West Des Moines, IA, where they raised their family. Three years after Rick was born, their daughter Lori arrived.

Elaine and Larry were married for 62 years. What made their relationship so special was their sense of humor. They loved to tease each other, usually with the goal of getting the other one to laugh. Their marriage was built on love, friendship, laughter, and a lot of good-natured teasing. They also loved to travel together. Over the years, they drove all over the United States with Elaine's cousin Ruth and her husband Bob, as well as her brother Arnie and his wife Becky. Traveling and sharing those experiences with people they loved became some of their favorite memories.

Elaine's greatest joy in life was raising her family. She loved going to watch Rick and Lori play sports and was always proud to be there cheering them on. She loved hosting extended family dinners and having a house full of people. She decorated her home for every holiday and took great pride in making each season feel special. She was also known for being an exceptional gift giver. Christmas and birthdays were important to Elaine, and she put a great deal of thought into finding just the right gift for each person.

Family was at the center of Elaine's life. Some of her happiest times were spent with her parents, brothers and sister, and their children at family gatherings. As her family grew, she found just as much joy in being a grandmother. She loved traveling with her grandchildren and took them on big family trips throughout Europe, creating memories they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

One of those memories happened in Murano, Italy, when Elaine found a beautiful and expensive hand-blown glass cat. She loved it so much that she bought it. The store owner was so pleased by the purchase that he allowed each of her grandchildren to pick out one of the smaller glass pieces in the store for free. It was the kind of experience that was very Elaine—her love of cats, her appreciation for beautiful things, her love of shopping, and, most importantly, her happiness in making something special for her grandchildren.

Elaine loved her home and yard. She was an avid gardener and had the most beautiful flower garden. You could almost always find her outside working in her yard, tending to her flowers and making everything around her look beautiful. She also loved to cook, although baking was where she really shined. There was always a homemade treat in the house, and her family knew they could count on something good coming out of her kitchen.

Elaine took great pride in how she looked. She was always dressed to the nines, loved to shop, and had a wonderful sense of style. Her favorite clothing brand was Blue Willy, and she had a natural eye for putting things together. She cared about the details and enjoyed making herself and her home look beautiful.

Elaine also had a quick sense of humor and loved to laugh. Her humor was a big part of who she was and was something she shared, especially with Larry and the people closest to her. She had a way of making ordinary moments more fun and never seemed to take herself too seriously.

Her faith was also an important part of her life. Elaine was a member of St. Mark's Church and enjoyed attending Sunday services. She was also part of a small group through the church, where she enjoyed the fellowship and friendships that came with being part of the community.

Elaine was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, and friend. She created a home where people felt welcome, celebrated the people she loved, and found joy in the simple things—flowers in her garden, something baking in the oven, a beautifully decorated house, a family gathered around the table, a good trip, a thoughtful gift, and, above all, a good laugh.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Larry Lockridge; her son, Rick Lockridge, and daughter-in-law, Christy Lockridge; her daughter, Lori Lockridge Evans; her five grandchildren, Morgan, Sarah, Spencer, Grace, and Cooper; her sister, Janet Frank, and her husband, Denny; her brother, Leon Sorensen, and his wife, Diane; and her sister-in-law, Becky Sorensen. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Olga Sorensen, and her brother, Arnie Sorensen. Elaine will be deeply missed by her family and friends. The memories she created, the traditions she started, and the love she gave her family will continue to live on in all of them.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Mark Lutheran Church in West Des Moines, IA.