Elaine Wright

P. Elaine (Tompt) Wright, age 85, of Willmar, died Saturday evening, May 29th at the Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar.
Funeral services will be held at 2 P.M., Thursday, June 3rd, at the Vinje Lutheran Church in Willmar. The interment will be in the Cloverleaf Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call from 5-7 P.M., Wednesday at the Peterson Brothers Funeral Home in Willmar and at the church one hour prior to the service.

Phyllis Elaine (Tompt) Wright was born June 19, 1924 in Fargo, North Dakota, the daugher of Eva M. (Robillard) and John "Jack" Tompt. She grew up in the Fargo area, received her education there and graduated from Fargo High School in 1942. After high school, Elaine worked at Armour & Company in West Fargo. She married Luther Duane Wright on October 26, 1944 in the Mohave Dessert in California. They were married for 59 years. During their married years, Lute and Elaine lived in California, Iowa, North Dakota, Minnesota and Arizona. She spent her last fifty years in Willmar, Minnesota where she was a member of Vinje Lutheran Church. She participated in the Women of the ELCA Circle Bible studies at Vinje, worked in the church kitchen, and volunteered at the Rice Memorial Hospital. Elaine and Lute had a home in Sun City West, Arizona where they spent many winters. While in Arizona, she volunteered in the school system reading to Native American children.
Family was important to Elaine. She loved having all the kids come home for the holidays and enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren. In her younger years she was a wonderful baker and was known for her cheese cakes and ice cream dessert. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, cross stitch and shopping with the girls. Lute and Elaine enjoyed traveling throughout the United States and Europe. They also loved to dance, especially the jitterbug. She will be truly missed.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to all of the caregivers that made such a difference in Elaine's life. The women at Compassionate Cottage, the staff at Bethesda Heritage, the Rice Hospital staff and Rice Hospice were outstanding and gave Elaine and the family peace of mind in a loving and safe environment.
She is survived by three sons; Thomas (and Cheri) Wright of Willmar, Randy (and Judy) Wright of Willmar and Steve (and Nancy) Wright of Willmar, three daughters; Kathleen Sura of Cummings, Georgia, Becky (and Wayne) Soderfelt of Broomfield, Colorado and Eve (and Jim) Blomquist of Mankato, ten grandchildren; Don Sura, Ben Soderfelt, Andree Barg, Bri'Ann Wright, Taylor Blomquist, Mallorie Wright, Becca Wright, Caitlin Blomquist, Devin Blomquist and Jaden Wright and three great grandchildren; Ava and Gianna Soderfelt and Dayton Barg. Also surviving are two brothers; Darwin Tompt of Willmar and John (and Nancy) Tompt of Frazee, three sisters; Maxine Weinrich of Granite Falls, Viola (and Fred) Risk of Naples, Florida and Karen (and Sam) Adams of Moorhead and one sister-in-law, Phyllis Tompt of Spicer, besides other relatives and friends.
Elaine was preceded in death by her parents, husband (Lute in 2003), and one brother (Lynn Tompt).