Elsie Arlene Petersen Henderson Myers

Elsie Arlene Petersen Henderson Myers was born on March 2, 1925, on a farm southeast of Irwin, Iowa and went to be with the Lord on May 12, 2023, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.   Her mother passed away when Elsie was six days old, at which time she went to make her home with her uncle and aunt, Lars and Marie Hodne.  She was baptized and confirmed in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irwin, Iowa, and went to country school and high school there until 1940 when the Hodne’s moved to Harlan, Iowa.  She graduated from Harlan High School in 1942.  Elsie worked at various places in Harlan until she was employed by E. M. Christensen Auto Co. from 1945 to 1975.  She married Ralph Henderson February 24, 1948, and had one son, Gary Lee.  Ralph passed away in September 1980.  Elsie married Dale Myers on February 4, 1983, and became a member of the First United Methodist Church in Harlan.  Her favorite hobbies were crocheting, cross-stitching, and playing cards with her friends.  She enjoyed collecting cups and saucers, angels, and carnival glass dishes.  She also enjoyed traveling and spending time with her family.  Dale passed away in March 1998.  In 2000 she became good friends with a neighbor, Lavern Klein.  They shared many meals and hours together, which helped fill the loneliness. Lavern died in 2002.  Elsie moved to Good Samaritan Independent Living in Las Cruces, New Mexico, in 2018, recently moving to Good Samaritan Assisted Living.  
Also preceding her in death were her parents, Hans and Anna Petersen, Lars and Marie Hodne, stepmother Schrilda Petersen Elder, daughter-in-law Pat Henderson, stepson Dennis Myers, step sons-in-law Robert Harrison and Glen Campbell, brothers Norman (Lila) Petersen and Orville Petersen, sisters Alice (Robert) Steckelberg and Anna (John) Caffery, brother-in-law David Aten, Harold (Lucille) Hodne, and Arlo (Thelma) Hodne.
Elsie is survived by her sister Charlotte Aten of Council Bluffs, Iowa; son, Gary Henderson of Las Cruces, New Mexico, granddaughters and great-grandchildren Kelly (Beau) Thompson (Abigail, Abraham, and Joshua) of Ft. Worth, Texas; Michelle (Joseph) Santana (Lucy) of Las Cruces, New Mexico; step-children Shirley Harrison of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Ron Myers of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and step daughter-in-law Marilyn Myers, of Gig Harbor, Washington.   Also surviving are step grandchildren Edward Lowry, Ryan (Deanette) Myers, Holly (Mike) Eisenmenger, Melinda (Josh) Hundley, Denise (Mark) Lund, several step great and great-great grandchildren, other relatives, and many friends.
The family wants to acknowledge and thank all those entrusted with Elsie’s care including, but not limited to, Dr. Amanda Sollars, M.D., the staffs at Good Samaritan, and Mesilla Valley Hospice – they all touched her life in very important ways!
Services will be at Calvary Baptist Church, Las Cruces, N.M. on May 29, 2023, at 2:00 PM.  A graveside service will be at the Harlan Cemetery in Harlan, Iowa, at 1:30 PM on June 9, 2023.  A time of visitation and fellowship will follow at the United Methodist Church in Harlan. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Calvary Baptist Church food pantry, the United Methodist Church of Harlan, or a charity of your choosing.