Elaine Terpstra, formerly of Milan, died on Saturday, July 10, 2010 at the Clara City Care center at the age of 79. Services will be conducted on Friday, August 6, 2010 at 10:30 A.M. at Kviteseid Lutheran Church in Milan with Rev. Cathie Rhodes officiating. Elaine Joyce Terpstra was born on May 2, 1931 in Sioux Center, IA to Gerrit and Germima (Scholten) Schepel. In 1949, she graduated from high school in Rock Valley, IA. She attended Northwestern College in Orange City, IA, where she received her teacher's training. Elaine began her teaching career in a country school near Rock Valley. She went on to obtain her degree from Mankato State Teachers College in Mankato, MN. She taught in a country school east of Milan, MN before becoming an elementary teacher in Milan Public Schools. After 36 years of teaching, Elaine retired in 1993. She continued to substitute teach for five years in the Milan and Appleton Elementary Schools. In 2003, she moved to Homefront Assisted Living in Montevideo and in 2005 to the Clara City Care Center. She was an active member of Kviteseid Lutheran Church, a member of Delta Kappa Gamma and held a lifetime membership in Education Minnesota. She enjoyed playing piano, doing cross stitch and entertaining her card club. She truly loved being a homemaker, cooking good meals and baking goodies for her friends and family. In her retirement, she enjoyed meeting her friends each morning for coffee at the Milan Cafe. Elaine was a devoted and loving mother and took great pride in her grandchildren. She taught and nurtured many children, making a difference in their lives. She is survived by one daughter, Roberta (and Del) Kuno of Montevideo, MN; two sons: Steven Terpstra of Glenwood, MN and Brian Terpstra of Tahachapi, CA; three grandchildren: Molly (Bobby) Loehr of El Campo, TX, Michael (and Jamie) Kuno of Sioux Falls, SD and Jade Gades of Glenwood, MN; a great-granddaughter, Madolyn Loehr; half-brothers: Junior (and Ruth) Vermeer and Everette (and Judy) Vermeer; half-sisters: Marlene (and Bill) Miller and Bea (and Allen) Vander Stouwe; and a sister in law, Donna Schepel, all of Iowa. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother Al Schepel.