Elfern A Haefner

North Mankato Mortuary - NORTHVIEW
388-2288

Elfern Anna Haefner, age 82, of Mankato, died Monday, March 21, 2011, at Oak Terrace Assisted Living.

Funeral Service will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, March 25, 2011, at Hosanna Lutheran Church in Mankato, with Rev. Andy Ritchie officiating. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery in Mankato. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m. on Thursday at North Mankato Mortuary " NORTHVIEW, 2060 Commerce Drive, and continues one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Memorials are preferred to Vine, ISJ Hospice, or Hosanna Lutheran Church.

Mrs. Haefner was born March 10, 1929, on her grandfather's farm near Nicollet to Florence (Kawell) and Martin Dallmann. Elfern married Jerome S. Haefner on June 10, 1948, at SS Peter and Paul's Catholic Church in Mankato. She worked at Thomas Drug and Automatic Electric until she dedicated her life to being a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Elfern loved living on the family farm outside of Mankato, where she raised her nine children. She also loved gardening, canning, and baking the best cookies, especially her "melt-in-your-mouth" sugar cookies, pies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls this side of heaven. She loved bowling with her friends, playing cards, mostly bridge, but more than anything, she loved children. Elfern had the gift of hospitality. She was always ready to put another plate on the table at mealtime for drop-by guests - she had a real servant's heart. Her children would say she was the most self-sacrificing mother ever. One of her favorite sayings (and she had many) was "The most important thing in life is family."

Mrs. Haefner is survived by her five sons, Jerome R. (Janet) of Merrifield, Gary (Jane) of Madison Lake, Gene (Cheryl) of Madison Lake, Andrew (Marcia) of Crystal Lake, IL; and William of Eden Prairie; four daughters, Juanita (Charles) Wallace of Rochester, Rosemary (David) Brosch of Mankato, Lee Ann (James) Johnson of Mankato, and Barbara (Parker) Purrier of Rochester; 23 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren (with four more on the way); her sister, Rosie (John) Banks of Kasson; in-laws, Clem Haefner, Valeria Frederick, Bette Haefner, Bob & Ida Haefner, and Anna Marie Rohlfing; also many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerome in 2002; and her brother and his wife, Arvid and Darlene Dallmann.