A celebration of the life of Elaine Carol (Hamson) Baer of Albert Lea will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Concordia Lutheran Church, Pickerel Lake, rural Albert Lea. The Rev. Wendy Anderson will officiate. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Bonnerup Funeral Service and one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday. Interment will be in the Concordia Lutheran Cemetery.

Elaine died on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014, at St Marys Hospital in Rochester after a brief battle with ovarian/peritoneal cancer, with her husband and children by her side.

Elaine was born May 23, 1939, in Winnebago County, Iowa, to Clifford and Ode (Bergstad) Hamson. She graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1957. She married Jerome (Jerry) A. Baer on March 30, 1958, at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. She worked at the Albert Lea Public Library for 37 years.

She was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church since her marriage. She served the church in many capacities including president of Women of the Church, Circle, teaching Sunday school, soup and pie supper, etc.

She was active in Friends of the Library, home extension, craft group and women’s and couples card club. She enjoyed doing crafts, interior decorating, gardening, playing games and traveling. She and Jerry spent the past 11 winters in Florence, Ariz., where they loved to take their Jeep and explore the desert. She collected angels and teddy bears. She loved spending time with her family at holidays and annual trips to the Anderson cabin. Her grandchildren were her greatest joy.

Elaine is survived by her husband, Jerry; daughters Lori and husband, Gary, Anderson of Rochester and Michelle “Missy” and husband, Eric, Willey of Albert Lea; son Scott and his wife, Laurie, Baer of New Prague; special son, Joseph “Joe” and his wife, Peggy, Hamson, whom Jerry and Elaine raised after Joe’s father, Larry (Elaine’s brother) died; grandchildren Jessica and Jeremiah Anderson, Brittany, Jenna and Emma Baer, Natasha and Madison Willey and Crystal and Joshua Hamson; brother, Don (Linda) Hamson of St. Michael; mother-in-law, Doris Baer; brothers and sisters-in-law Dean (Bev) Baer, Alan (Becky) Baer and Lynn Baer; and special cousins Karen and Ken Joachim.

Elaine was preceded in death by her parents Clifford and Ode Hamson; brother, Larry Hamson; grandchildren Drew and Danielle Baer; father-in-law, Arthur Baer; and several aunts and uncles.

The family would like to thank Dr. Zachary DePew, Joanne Heathman CNP and the other doctors, nurses and chaplains at Mayo Clinic who provided care and compassion for Elaine and the family.