Elaine Murray

Elaine Marie Murray, age 90, of Pequot Lakes and more recently Golden Valley, passed away peacefully on September 15th, 2026.

Born in northern Minnesota’s Polk County, on her grandma’s farm in Tilden Township, Elaine learned quickly that nothing in life came easily and the labors of love such as cooking, sewing, cleaning and child rearing were her responsibility from a very young age in a large family that would eventually include 10 brothers and sisters. She had three daughters of her own, her pride and joy, and she stood by them through difficult times and celebrated their achievements. Elaine played a very important role in the lives of her eight grandchildren whom she loved and protected fiercely, and once they were grown, it was the great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren who brought her renewed joy. She was so very proud of each and every one and spoke frequently about them to anyone who befriended her – most recently, the EMTs who delivered her from the hospital to her bedroom on August 28th.

Elaine’s Catholic faith and upbringing fostered paid housekeeping positions in rectories on more than one occasion. She also worked in childcare, at an anodizing factory, in the kitchen at Hennepin County Home School, in various retail positions and was the head of Maintenance at St. Alice Catholic Church in Pequot Lakes for many years before she retired. Her volunteer work, especially at St. Alice, knew no bounds. Elaine offered her skills for church sponsored dinners, holiday bazaars, annual garage sales, floral design, Ladies Guild activities, quilt making and to the church’s Grace House, a safe house for abused women and children. Elaine cared deeply for those who had fallen on hard times, and was always ready to lend a hand, cook a meal or make a home a safe and comfortable place to live.

One of Elaine’s passions was growing plants, both indoors and out. Many family members boast they’ve inherited her prolific “green thumb”. She will always be remembered for her love of hosting, cooking and setting a beautiful table for the holidays; her caramel rolls, cinnamon rolls and sweet buns were baked to perfection, every time! Elaine loved to attend musical theater productions, had favorite opera singers and power diva vocalists that she listened to almost every day, and enjoyed traveling a fair amount throughout the US and Canada.

She will be remembered as industrious, wise, thrifty, a master seamstress and gardener, a devoted Catholic, a lover of antiques and pretty things, an avid bird watcher and reader of novels, a relentless community volunteer, a lover of music, politically minded and most of all, Elaine is honored for her selfless dedication to family and friends.

Elaine is survived by sisters Eleanor Ogaard, Aggie Sexton, Cheryl (Jim) Jackman and Mary Kreich, and brothers Les Kuiper and Larry Kuiper; daughters Deb (Greg) Welu, Krista (Grant) Eull and Julia Murray; grandchildren Kevin (Melissa) Welu, Nick Welu, Phil (Brittney) Welu, Rory (Ashley) Welu, Kali (Derek) Gold, Aubrey Eull, Kiara Ladd and Ethan Eull; 15 great-grandchildren; and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents Ben and Julia Kuiper; sister Margaret Kinney; brothers Jerry, Richard and Michael Kuiper; former spouse Richard Murray; several sisters and brothers in law; and beloved nephew Corwin Ogaard.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at St. Alice Catholic Church in Pequot Lakes, MN. A visitation will be held the hour prior to the service and a luncheon will follow the service at the church. 

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Elaine’s memory to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital or Sharing & Caring Hands.