Surrounded by his family, Allan C. Elstrom, Ottawa, KS, entered Eternal rest Thursday, October 30, 2008, at the age of 67, following a prolonged fight against diabetes complications. He was born March 3, 1941, in Concordia, KS, to parents Ted Ray and Bertha Marie (Nelson) Elstrom. On June 13, 1964, He married Janice Lucile Keown of Arkansas City, KS at the Christian Church in Arkansas City, KS. They were privileged to celebrate 44 years of married life together, and have three children: John, Steve, and Kristi. He was a member of Ottawa Church of the Nazarene. Growing up on the farm, Allan began doing farm work at an early age. Allan graduated from Concordia High School, 1959. He graduated from Kansas State University, Manhattan, in 1964, with a bachelor's degree in Agriculture Education. In 1966, he earned his Master's Degree in Agriculture Education. His first job after college was teaching Vocational Agriculture and advising the FFA club at Courtland, KS. During the next several years, Allan also taught at Jewell, KS and then Concordia, KS high schools, while continuing to farm. Following the farm credit crises of early 1980s, Allan and his family moved to Durango, Colorado, where Allan again taught high school Vocational Agriculture and FFA for a year. Following a return of one year to Concordia, KS, Allan and his family moved to Salina, KS in 1985. Allan worked at The Salina Journal, Gibson's Ace Hardware, and Wal-Mart over several years, before he and Janice moved to Olathe, KS in 1994. After three years in Olathe, where Allan continued working at both Wal-Mart and substitute teaching at several area school districts, he and Janice moved to Ottawa, KS, to be close to their children Steve and eventually Kristi, and their expanding number of grandchildren. Allan always enjoyed teaching high school students, and was substitute teaching as recently as Fall, 2007. He is survived by his wife, Janice, Ottawa; son John Elstrom and daughter-in-law Bethany, Abilene, TX; son Steve Elstrom and daughter-in-law April, Concordia homestead; and daughter Kristi Hubert and son-in-law Mike, Ottawa, KS. Other survivors include 9 grandchildren: Alayna, Rebecca, Caroline, Josiah, Mathias, Linnea, and Gideon Elstrom; Alexis and Abygael Hubert. Surviving extended family include sister-in-law Gwen (Keown) Edmiston, Overland Park, KS; brother- and sister-in-law Bill and Joyce Boyer, Dallas, TX; brother-in-law Howard Vignery, Jackson, MS; and nieces Deanne Mills, Julie Barncord, Stacy Brown, Angela Savoy, Beverly Renfroe, nephew Scott Boyer. Allan was preceded in death by his parents (Ted, 1987; Bertha, May, 2008), sister (Barbara Vignery, 2006), and infant brother (Paul, 1955).
A memorial service will be held at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia, 2 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 5 with Rev. Dean R. Frazier officiating. A graveside service and interment will follow at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Concordia, KS. The family will receive visitors at Chaput-Buoy, 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. The chapel is open 9 am –– 9 pm. The family suggests memorial gifts to Ottawa Church of the Nazarene, the American Diabetes Association, or the donor's choice.