ELSA KRISTINA HAMPTON

It is with profound sadness that the family of Elsa Kristina Hampton (Gustafson) announces her passing on Monday, April 18, 2016, at La Verendrye General Hospital in Fort Frances, Ont.
She was born on Nov. 8, 1931 in Fort Frances and lived in the area her entire life.
In her early years, she worked on the family farm in Crozier, helping with the animals and food to feed their family. In her later years, she worked outside the home at Sanitary Dry Cleaners and the hospital.
Soon the boy next door began showing up on the family doorstep bringing her small gifts. In 1949, she married him and became the wife of George Hampton and known as Elsie Hampton.
Together, they purchased a small house 1.5 miles north on Highway 611, which became the family home. Their first-born son, Howard, was born there in 1952, followed by Kenneth in 1955.
In 1962, George’s father passed away and George and Elsie moved to the Hampton family store at the corner of Highway 611 North and Highway 17, which they operated for two years. When the store was sold, they moved back to their home on Highway 611 North and raised their family.
In 1966, their daughter, Christine, was born.
Elsie’s full-time and most important job was raising her children and managing the family home. Her family and friends enjoyed her cooking skills, which included cinnamon buns, Swedish rye bread, meatballs, homemade doughnuts, and fried chicken, along with lots of cookies for young and old, to name a few family favourites.
Mom’s home was always tidy and welcoming. No matter who you were or where you were from, there always was a home-cooked meal and a comfortable bed to sleep in.
Time with her children and friends was important, which included working in the garden, snowmobiling, wiener roasts with the Crozier neighbours, cross-country skiing, camping, and boating to the relative’s cabin on Northwest Bay. In later years, she enjoyed coffee out with friends and birthday club.
Elsie loved to sew, knit, and crochet. Family and friends always were the benefactors of her skills. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren never will forget the candy can she always kept for them, and the special cookies and pancakes she made them.
She was an active member of the Scandinavian Club, Knox United Church, Royal Canadian Legion, and the New Democratic Party of Canada.
Elsie is survived by her children, Howard and wife, Shelley, and grandchildren, Sarah and Jonathon; son, Ken and wife, Christine, and grandchildren, Rianna and Ryan; and daughter, Christine, husband, Glenn, grandchildren, Lyndon and Justin and partner, Alicia, and great-grandchildren, Ryder and Paisley Brown.
Also surviving are her brothers, Victor and Albert Gustafson, and sister, Gladys Sampson; as well as many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and many friends from near and far, all of whom held a special place in her heart.
She was predeceased by her parents, Maria and Gustaf Gustafson; husband, George; and siblings, Allan and Stanley Gustafson, and Helen Bodnar.
Elsie will be remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend who could not do enough for others.
A celebration of life luncheon will take place Saturday, June 11, 2016 from 1-3 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Br. #29 in Fort Frances.
In lieu of flowers, in memoriam donations can be made to the Riverside Foundation for Health Care (Palliative Care Room Fort Frances) or Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation c/o Northridge Funeral Home, P.O. Box 89, Emo, Ont., P0W 1E0.