Joan Swenson Elbers passed away on November 4, 2019 at the age of 89 years.
She was raised in Minneapolis, and since childhood spent time regularly in Cook County. Even when living across the country in Maryland, Florida and finally Texas, the Minnesota trips were an annual event – first as vacations to family cabins off Cascade Beach Road and on Gunflint Lake, and then for many years as a summer resident at her own home on Gunflint Lake.
She was an avid and unabashed supporter of the natural world, and author of the published annotated bibliography Changing Wilderness Values 1930-1990.
She is predeceased by her son Sam Elbers. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Gerald Elbers, her daughter Stephanie Donaho, son-in-law Bob Donaho, daughter-in-law Amy Elbers, grandchildren Tom Donaho (Jessie Donaho), Emma Donaho Clark (Steve Clark), Nelson Elbers, Olivia Elbers, and Erik Elbers, and great-grandchildren Barrett and Hardy Donaho – all of whom are forever grateful to her for sharing with them her love of nature. She is also survived by her sister Barbara Omoth and brother in-law Bob Omoth, and nieces Nancy Metzger and Pamela Postiglione.
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