Elna Diment

Elna Diment died Friday, May 2, 2025 at Trimont Nursing Home in Trimont, MN at the age of 95.

Funeral services will be held Friday, May 9, 2025 at 2:00 PM at the Dawson Covenant Church with burial at the Haydenville Cemetery.

Visitation will be held at the church for one hour before the service.

Elna Imadee (Nelson) Diment was born on the family farm July 2, 1929 in Arena Township, Lac qui Parle County, MN to Emil and Karine (Aaberg) Nelson. Elna was confirmed at First Lutheran Church in Madison in 1943. She attended grade school in District 77 and graduated from Madison High School in 1947. Continuing education included Normal Training in Madison, Bachelor of Science degree in education from Mankato State, Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of MN, and Master of Library Science and Media from Mankato State. She taught in rural schools in Lac qui Parle and Big Stone Counties and San Diego before moving to the Minneapolis area. Elna taught elementary classroom and library in Edina for 37 years until retiring in 1994. One of her favorite sayings was "out the door in '94".

On August 17, 1957, she married James Diment at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Upon retirement she went on to win the Minnesota State Senior spelling Bee Championship in 1995 held in Hibbing. The final words were hyalithe, denouement, aubade, schiavone, and her winning word was monocoque. Her summer time passion was golfing and flower gardening. Elna planted thousands of tulip bulbs in her Minnetonka garden. Fresh flowers were a must in her home all year round. There was always a Siamese or Burmese cat in the home. They spent many Christmas vacations in Hawaii.

She is survived by nieces and nephews: Arlene (Gary) Miller, Dale (Lynne) Nelson, Janet Nelson, and Nancy (Bruce) Mead. Along with great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband, James in 1990; brother, James Nelson; and a nephew, LeRoy Nelson.