Elsie Rau, 81, rural Denhoff, ND died Saturday, April 4, 2015 at her farm home.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 8 at St. Martin's Lutheran Church, Anamoose, ND.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Hertz Funeral Home, Harvey, ND.

Burial will be in Kassel Reformed Cemetery, rural Denhoff, ND.


Elsie was born on August 22, 1933 on the family farm in the Lincoln Valley area north of Denhoff. She was the daughter of Henry and Anna (Guthmiller) Rau. She grew up there and attended the New Germantown Township School. Elsie chose to stay at home on the family farm. She did the chores and helped with picking rocks and making hay. They raised hundreds of chickens and had a large garden every year for many years. She worked for a time at Premium Gold Flax, Denhoff. She also cared for her parents as they grew older.

Elsie enjoyed baking and handcrafts such as embroidering. She was an amateur photographer and loved to take pictures of the outdoors, animals and birds. One of her "Sunset" pictures was selected by a Minot TV station and broadcast during the news and weather. She was an avid bird watcher and would recognize the birds by the sound of their calls. She would feed the birds as part of her daily experience with nature.

Elsie was a member of the Kassel Reformed Church where she was baptized and confirmed. She was also a member of the Sheridan County German Singers, Twilight Homemakers Club of Lincoln Valley and Anamoose Farmers Market.

Elsie is survived by her sisters, Gertie Rau of Denhoff, Frieda Rau and Alma Rau both of Harvey, Norma and brother in law J Carlson of Cleveland, ND; nephew, John (Annie) Carlson of Mercer, three great nieces and one great nephew; sister-in-law, Edith Rau of Bismarck.

Elsie was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Gerhard Rau; niece Ann Reutter.

Elsie passed away on Saturday, April 4, 2015 while she was walking outside in her yard enjoying the fresh air and nature.  She had been undergoing treatment for cancer recently. .