1929 – Agnes Ann Malters – 2019
Agnes Ann Malters was born on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1929. She was the sixth child of Fredrick Elskamp and Agatha Keitges Elskamp, arriving three minutes before her twin sister, Ann Agnes Elskamp. She would eventually be one of 11 siblings born into the Elskamp Family. She attended St. Gabriel’s parochial grade school and Fulda High School. She received her nurse’s training with the Presentation nuns at McKennan Hospital and became a registered nurse. She was employed for many years at Worthington Regional Hospital, initially working in obstetrics and the last portion of her career was in intensive care working with cardiac patients. She loved being a nurse and was one to the end of her life although her circle of active patients grew smaller as she got older. She was active in many organizations, the Fulda Library Club, Fulda Pink Ladies, St. Gabriel’s Lady Auxiliary and served her church, including assisting in caring for the altar and arranging flowers. She died on October 17, 2019, six weeks short of her 90th birthday. In the last 18 months of her life, she lived at Maple Lawn Nursing Home where she received extraordinary care and attention for which her family will be eternally grateful. There truly are angels on earth and they work at Maple Lawn. Stacy Sletten her primary care provider, was very helpful and concerned in caring for her medically and emotionally; one nurse practitioner caring for another nurse; yet another example of one Avera nurse caring for another.
She is survived by three sons: James (Michele), Dr. David (Dr. Patricia) and Dr. Joseph (Kathryn). She was Nana to three granddaughters: Christina, Andrea, and Michelle (Nicole Cossu). She is survived by her siblings: Coletta Hayward, John (Kathy) Elskamp, Ann Kennedy, Sr. Yvonne Elskamp and Father Frederick Elskamp and by a multitude of nephews and nieces, and now grand nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents Fredrick and Agatha and siblings: Robert Elskamp, Phillip Elskamp, Lozetta Denno, Colleen Wozniak, and David Elskamp as well as her beloved black lab Ruby.
A celebration of her life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 23, 2019, at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church. Her younger brother, Fr. Fred will be con-celebrating her funeral mass with R. Paul Heiting. The organist is Dana Hogan. The song leader is Sheila Crowley. Interment will be at St. Gabriel’s Cemetery in Fulda. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Memorials can be made to Worthington Regional Healthcare Foundation scholarships. The family hopes to give money to nursing students to continue the work of their mother.
