Elaine Doreen Lilga

Elaine Doreen (Delage) Lilga, 92, passed away peacefully on April 3, 2025, at the Legacy of Farmington, MN. She was born December 22, 1932, in Gentilly, MN to Alice and Leo Delage. She grew up on the family farm with her parents and her brothers Jim and Clarence. She went to country school until 8th grade, after that she attended and graduated from the Mount Saint Benedict Academy in Crookston, in 1951. After graduation, her dad told her to get to the big city and find the excitement of Minneapolis.

She hopped on a train and moved into an apartment with a friend. She got a job and worked as a salesclerk at a women’s clothing store. She enjoyed spending time with her friends, meeting new people and experiencing the city life! While she was there, she went on a blind date with a friend of a friend. She married that handsome charming guy, Alton Lilga, September 1, 1962. They lived in Minneapolis, for a few years and then built a new house in the boondocks of Apple Valley, MN.

While she lived there, she did daycare for her next-door neighbor, Michelle Burnett for about 9 years, and Alton worked for North Central Airlines. They spent time camping, visiting family including a collection of nephews and nieces who she loved very much!

In August 1970, they welcomed their daughter Annette and in March 1974, they welcomed their son Eric. In October of 1975, they moved to a different house in Apple Valley and were there for over 45 years. There she was able to have a huge garden, and they grew everything! She canned and preserved and enjoyed the labors of their hard work. She loved nature and animals, there was always bird seed in the feeders and pets to take care of! She loved watching the deer, turkeys, bunnies, opossums, racoons and any other critter that would make their way into the yard. Including some special stray kitties that became part of the family.

As the children grew, she was involved in their activities and keeping the household running. She volunteered at school and with the kids’ activities. She was an amazing mom and spent lots of time enjoying her kids and their friends! They grew up, got married and had kids of their own and she became an amazing grandma too! She loved taking care of the grandkids, spending time with them, and going to the countless activities over the years, hundreds of school programs, hockey games, dance recitals, soccer games, football games, band concerts, choir concerts, lacrosse games, marching band performances-rain or shine she loved it! She always said she was so thankful to know her grandkids so well and have been able to spend so much time with them.

She and Alton went on many trips, they took motorcycle trips and camped with the motorcycle camper. They flew to many fun places, Amsterdam, California, Alaska, Hawaii to see the sights and visit family.

Over the years, they spent many hours volunteering for so many causes, Grace Lutheran Church, Shepherd of the Valley Church, the Apple Valley American Legion, the Rosemount VFW, the Republic Airlines Retirement group, the NWA volunteer groups, the MN Zoo and any other cause that asked them!

She loved the quilting group at church and spent many hours helping make beautiful quilts for donation. She did amazing embroidery and loved to sit and relax and work on her projects-we are so blessed to be the recipients of so many beautiful things she had made. After she couldn’t work on those projects anymore, she took up coloring to have “work” to do and stay creative!

Elaine and Alton enjoyed a wonderful almost 58 years of life together before Alton’s passing in 2020. She remained at Legacy of Farmington until she passed away. The kids and grandkids visited often and took her on outings for ice cream and walks to the gardens nearby. She absolutely loved kids and animals and loved to watch the great grandbabies play and run around her, whenever there was a dog around, she wanted to pet them or hold them too! She was full of love and happiness, and she will be so very missed by her friends and family. We take comfort in the knowledge that she is reunited in heaven with her beloved hubby, Alton and her family.

Elaine is predeceased by her husband Alton, her parents Alice and Leo Delage, brothers Jim and Clarence Delage, nephews David, Kevin and Elmer Delage. She is survived by her daughter Annette (Aron) Rogers and her son Eric (Shannon) Lilga. She also leaves behind five grandchildren and 3 great granddaughters. Emily (Brady) Hase, Caleb Hakala, Elijah Hakala, Michael Lilga and Evan Lilga, Brystol, Livie and Riley Hase. Elaine lived a full life filled with love, faith and kindness, she will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

Funeral services will be held Monday April 28, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 12650 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, MN 55124, with a visitation starting at 10:00 and luncheon at 12:00 PM. Internment will be Monday, May 5, 2025, at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery at 2:00 PM, Minneapolis, MN.