Elaine Grabanski

Elaine E. Grabanski, 90, of Orr, ND, passed away on Friday, January 9, 2026 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks.

Elaine was born in Northwood, ND April 26, 1935 to Arthur and Pearl (Gustafson) Kroocmo. She lived by Orr in her childhood, working with her Grandpa Oscar Gustafson learning farming and milking cows at a very early age. The family later moved to Emerado where she rode horses and sleighs to get to country school, sometimes picking up neighbor children on the way. She told about one horse she drove that would sit on its butt like a dog and how her teacher used to take pictures of it sitting like that. As she grew older, she worked at a neighbor helping out with household chores, garden, gathering eggs, delivering meals to farm workers.

Elaine married Teddy Grabanski June 23, 1951 and they lived and farmed at Orr. They had 2 children, Kerry in 1951 and Sherry in 1954.

Elaine worked alongside her husband in the fields doing all sorts of jobs; plowing, cultivating, combining. She loved the outdoors and loved the farm life. She went from horse drawn equipment to her versatile tractor, her favorite. She was also a handy carpenter. She and Ted built their own home, Ted’s brother’s home and other farm buildings. They were involved in various farm crisis initiatives during the ‘80s, attending many meetings in Bismarck.

Elaine also had a love for animals, starting as a child with her pet rooster; up to cows, horses, pigs, to dogs and cats, with her last companions being her cats Blackie, Charlie and Sammy.

Her hobbies included jigsaw puzzles, playing cards with family and neighbors. She had a 2,000 piece puzzle that took up the whole kitchen table (we ate off a card table in the living room for a month). Another passion was gardening. She loved growing our own food and she canned and pickled a basement full every year. They always had folks visiting and had plenty to eat.

Elaine is survived by her daughter Sherry Keith, Orr; daughter-in-law Karen Grabanski, Gilby; 2 granddaughters Kori and Kandis; sister-in-law Karen Grabanski, Orr and brother-in-law Lloyd (Dorcas) Schmidt, Oslo, MN.

She was preceded in death by her husband, son Kerry, parents, sisters Charlene Johnson, Dellene “Dinnie” Schmidt and Charlotte Schmidt.

FUNERAL SERVICES: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 15 in the Bakke Funeral Home Chapel, Larimore.

VISITATION: Wednesday, January 14 from 5-7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service held in the Bakke Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the service on Thursday.

INTERMENT: Inkster Cemetery, Inkster, ND.