Obituary for
Elaine Mae Arthur (Kauer)
Elaine Arthur
Resident of Lodi
Elaine passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on December 25, 2017, at the age of 95. Elaine Mae Arthur was born on Feb 1, 1922, to John and Laura (Gephardt) Kauer in Witten, South Dakota. After graduating from Witten High School in 1940, she then went on to attend college at Springfield, South Dakota and Black Hills Teachers College at Spearfish, South Dakota, where she received her teaching credential. She married Milfred Arthur after his discharge from the Army military service on May 2, 1946. She then moved with her husband to the Black Hills Ordinance Depot at Igloo, South Dakota, where together they raised their two children, Ronnie and Saundra. Elaine brought the values of work ethics learned by her parent’s farm to bear on a long distinguished career in public education beginning in a one room Fall River Country School, teaching various grades, and continued to teach for 16 ½ years in Edgemont S. Dakota. She was always active in her community and church. In December 1965 her husband, Milfred, was transferred to the Navel Weapon’s Station at Concord, CA. Elaine taught one year at Christ the King School in Pleasant Hill, CA and entered Civil Service as a Technical Document Controller for the Concord Navel Weapon’s Station. She retired from that position in 1982, and moved with her husband to Lodi, CA. She was a member of St Anne’s Catholic Church and the South Dakota retired Teacher’s Association. She enjoyed traveling with their R.V., camping, gardening, and being with her family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Elaine will be remembered for her strong Catholic faith and commitment to her family. She is survived by her son, Ron, of Lodi; daughter, Saundra (Joe) Costanza of Roseville; three grandchildren, Marc (Alison) Costanza of Bellingham, WA; Lisa (Dr. Dee Jay) Miranda of El Dorado Hills, CA and Tony (Shaina) Costanza of Albuquerque, New Mexico; four great-grandchildren, Kaia, Caelen, Andrew and Alex; two sisters, Helen Sands and Mildred Keogh of Prescott, Arizona; and cherished nieces and nephew; brothers and sister-in-laws; and a host of friends and relatives. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years, Milfred Arthur; her parents, John and Laura Kauer; three sisters, Virginia Earll of Winner, South.Dakota, Bernice Wattman of Chicago, IL, Dorothy Schulteck of St. Paul, MN; and three brothers, Robert Kauer of Winner, South Dakota, Elmer Kauer of Carter, So Dakota, and Paul Kauer of Custer, South Dakota. Visitation commences at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, with Rosary and Vigil Service at 7:00 Lodi Funeral Home, 725 South Fairmont Ave. on December 28. Funeral Liturgy will be at St. Anne’s Catholic Church 215 West Walnut St., Lodi on Friday, December 29, at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at Cherokee Memorial Park, “Temple of Memory” Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers Memorials may be made Springfield Dominican Sisters 1237 West Monroe Springfield, IL 62704.
