Elayne Aune

Florence Elaine Aune
November 15, 1923-January 14, 2019
Elayne, as she was known by family and friends, was the third of eight girls born to Norwegian immigrants George and Elizabeth Aune. Elayne was born in Kenyon, MN and raised in Minneapolis.
Elayne's parents, who were devout Christians, made sure that their children attended Ebenezer Lutheran Brethren Church every Sunday. It was at Ebenezer where Elayne was introduced to the saving love of Jesus and where she dedicated her life to serving him.
After graduating from high school, Elayne along with twin sister Evelyn and younger sister Mildred joined the Cadet Nursing Corps and were in the same class and served on the home-front from 1944-1948. When the Corps was disbanded in 1948, Elayne entered Bible School in preparation for a career in overseas missions. After spending one semester at the Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, Elayne transferred to Lutheran Brethren Bible School in Fergus Falls, MN to finish her Degree. Upon graduation in 1950, Elayne was commissioned as a missionary under the Lutheran Brethren Mission Board.
After her commissioning, Elayne traveled to France for a year of language study and then continued her journey to French Cameroon where she served as a missionary from 1952-1990. Many of her years in Cameroon were spent working as a nurse at a leprosarium. Not only did Elayne work at the leprosarium, she spent much of her time working with the local villagers and being a friend to the missionary children at the nearby boarding school. One of her students put it this way:
Elayne had a special heart for her MKs, especially those who spent many years away from their moms and dads. She always seemed to know when my heart was...sad and hurting, knew exactly what to say to help me through tough days, and always let me know that I was loved just for being me. Her caring for us did not stop when we left the mission field either. For many, many years, I would receive Valentines cards and letters from her... She made a trip to Saskatchewan to attend my wedding and was a support and encouragement to me throughout my married years. I was privileged a few years ago to spend a week with her in Minneapolis, and she still talked about her ‘kids' and prayed for them every day. Elayne was a blessing from God and I am so thankful for her. She is rejoicing in heaven today, and I am sure that she heard the words, "Well done, My good and faithful servant." -- C.R.
It was with no small amount of sadness that Elayne at the age of 67 left her adopted home and returned to the USA; however, Elayne did not retire. She stayed active as a hospice volunteer, caring for elderly and fragile family members, managing estates, and being a friend to anyone in need. Elayne even spent a summer in China teaching English.
In 2014, Elayne moved with her sister and brother-in-law to the Alliance Community for Retirement Living in DeLand, FL. Even though she was no longer able to do the things that she could in the past, Elayne did her best to stay busy. She lamented that the Community would not allow her to care for those who she perceived as being needier than herself. That attitude is what set Elayne apart from so many others - always giving of herself for the betterment of others with no regard for her own well-being
Elayne was preceded in death by her father George, her mother Elizabeth (Skrunes), her half-sisters Helen (Owen) Faris and Dorothy, and her sisters Gertrude (Ray Williams), Evelyn, Mildred (Al Thill), Margaret, Doris, and Shirley. Elayne is survived by her sister Gracia (David) Tader, numerous nieces and nephews, and by her legacy in Cameroon and beyond.

(Memorial Service: Jan. 24, 2019, 1 p.m. at Ebenezer Lutheran Brethren Church, 1830 41st St, Minneapolis, MN 55407 Tele. 612-722-0157 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be donated to the Lutheran Brethren International Mission Board.)

(Memorial Service; Feb. 2, 2019, 10 am, at the Alliance Chapel, 135 Armstrong St., DeLand, FL. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be donated to the Alliance Health and Rehabilitation Center at the Alliance Community in DeLand.)