Elaine Marie Yungk

Elaine Marie Yungk age 83, passed away at her home in Litchfield on August 24, 2020. A private gravside service will be held. She was born in Forest City, MN on September 28, 1936. Her parents were Clifford B. and Laura A. (Gilman) Housman. Elaine graduated from Litchfield High School in 1954. She met Ralph Wick while working for Johnson Drug. They were married on June 1, 1957, then moved to St. Paul, MN so Ralph could work for Hoves Foods, during that time Elaine walked to Montgomery Ward to work in the catalog department. In 1958, they moved back to Litchfield so Ralph could work at Bernie’s Fairway and Elaine worked at Sward Kemp Drugstore. In 1963 Ralph and Elaine purchased Nelson Grocery (formerly Batterbury) and ran a very well known successful little hometown store for 5 years then Ralph passed away in 1968. In 1970 Elaine met Dale Yungk at the VFW dance hall. They were married on December 12, 1970. They continued to operate Ralph’s Grocery together and Dale also rented his own land to farm with his dad and brother. In the spring of 1975 they closed Ralph’s grocery and remodeled it into a 2 bedroom apartment. Elaine then worked in the dietary department at the Meeker Memorial Hospital for 25 plus years, retiring in September 2003. At the age of 40, Elaine took a crochet class through Community Education, this hobby became her new passion, now everyone she knew had something she has made. She also always looked forward to making things to enter in the Meeker County Fair. In 2010 she won grand champion for a crocheted family farm scene that included sheep and chickens. Over the years she has won many blue and purple ribbons for embroidery and crochet items along with class championship awards for best baby blanket, wheat bread and pecan pie. Elaine served as president of the St. Philips Sacred Heart Society and also served for many years as an officer of the Daughters of Isabella and a volunteer at Meeker Manor Nursing Home for Mass. Elaine is survived by her husband Dale Yungk of Litchfield, her children Mike and Jennifer Wick of Litchfield, Patti and Scoot Hennen of St. Cloud, Mamie and Tagg Magnuson of Litchfield and Bill and Ronda Yungk of Hutchinson, 2 granddaughters Kelsie and Alex Andersen of Big Lake and Kara and Brett Eisenschenk of Sauk Centre, 2 grandsons Conrad and Eythan Yungk of Litchfield and 1 step granddaughter Stephanie Speikers of Hutchinson. Elaine was also blessed with 4 great grandchildren, Haddie and Gemma Andersen of Big Lake, Drew Eischenschenk of Sauk Centre and a step great granddaughter Serena Speikers of Hutchinson. Also surviving are Elaine’s siblings, Robert and Ione Housman of Minnetonka, Joyce and Jerry Rademacher of Melrose, Burt and Karen Housman of Brooklyn Park, Mary and Stan Peterson of Atwater, Angie and Chuck Loecken of St. Joseph and Jim Housman of Melrose along with many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cliff and Laura Housman, her 2 sisters Beverly Housman and Joanne Shannon and her late husband Ralph Wick.