Eldena Rau Obituary (1927

Eldena Rau, 87, Bismarck, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, November 11, 2014, at the Baptist Health Care Center, Bismarck. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00, Monday, November 17, 2014, in the Baptist Health Care Center Chapel with the Reverend Merle Hoots officiating. Visitation is scheduled for Sunday 3-5:00 PM, Sunday, November 16th at DaWise-Perry Funeral Services, Mandan. Burial will be in the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Eldena was born May 30, 1927, in Napoleon, North Dakota, to Henry A. and Katherine (Lachenmeier) Becker. She received her elementary education in the local rural school and helped on the family farm. Eldena and Harry Rau were married on February 26, 1945. Eldena and Harry farmed the former Henry Wold farm in Logan County from 1950 to 1990. In 1991, they retired and moved to Bismarck. Eldena was a member of the Melvin E. Bender Post #265 of the American Legion Auxiliary for 50 years. She worked for the Retired Seniors Volunteer program in Bismarck from 1991 to 2009. Eldena enjoyed reading, embroidery, dancing, and listening to old time music. She entered the Baptist Health Care Center in May of 2011. She is survived by her daughter, Sheila (Harold) Zimmerman, Bismarck; one son, Michael Rau, Woodland Hills, California; four granddaughters, Melissa Roth, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Carmen (John) Devney, Bismarck, Lisa (Robert) Cannon, Los Angeles, California, and Michelle Rau, New York City, New York. She was very proud of her four great-grandchildren, Lucas John Roth, Katherine Grace Devney, John Leo Devney V, and James Patrick Devney. Her passing has also left two brothers, Henry Becker, Napoleon, Leonard (JoAnn) Becker, Bismarck; one sister-in-law, Dianne Becker, Bismarck; two brothers-in-law, Berthold Spitzer, Napoleon and Cliff Wagner, Sun Lakes, Arizona. Eldena was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Rau in 1996; an infant son, Robert Rau; three brothers, Roland Becker, Emil Becker, and Wilbert "Punch" Becker; and five sisters, Viola Grimes, Alice Graff, Annie Eisenbeis, Agnes Spitzer, and Jean Wagner. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.