Elva Jean White, 78, of Austin, Minn., died Saturday evening, Nov. 16, 2013, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn.

Jean was born Aug. 30, 1935, in Slayton, Minn., the daughter of Ernest C. and Tillie (Wichern) Baerenwald. She was baptized at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Iona, Iowa on Sept. 22, 1935, and confirmed at Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Round Lake, Minn. on April 10, 1949. She resided on farms at Slayton, Reading and Round Lake, and attended high school at Worthington, Minn., graduating on May 28, 1953. She attended one year at Concordia College in St. Paul, and then worked at the college business for one year. In September 1955, she moved to Colorado Springs, Colo., and worked for the local Chamber of Commerce. On Sept. 24, 1956, Jean was united in marriage to Gene Edward White in Colorado Springs while he was stationed in Fort Carson with the U.S. Army. Together they spent a year in Goeppingen, Germany, returning in late 1957, and settling in Austin. While living in Austin, Jean worked as a secretary for Weyerhaeuser Company for 30 years and part time for another five years in the Human Resource Department, retiring in 2002. Jean was a former member of Grace Lutheran Church and was presently a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church. She enjoyed her work, traveling, camping, sewing, baking, singing with the college and church choirs, Bible study, church worship and spending time with her family and friends.

Survivors include her husband, Gene White; children, Connie Jensen, Marjorie Stoffer, Michael (Rose) White, Jamie White and Mark (Lisa) White; grandchildren, Sara Jensen, Chris Anderson, Alicia Carrigan, Logan White, Cory White, Jared White, Tabatha White, Alexandra White and Isaac White; step-grandchild, Dena Ruether; great-grandchildren, Garrett Springer, Michael Springer, Miah Carrigan; step-great-grandchildren, Kelsi Stoffer, Taylor Reuther and Sydney Reuther; brothers, Marlen (Kathy) Baerenwald, Dean Baerenwald; sister, Joan (W. Robert) Bauer; brother-in-law, Ronald White and many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. Jean was preceded in death by her grandparents, parents, parents-in-law and two sisters-in-law.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013, at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Austin with Pastor Brian Krueger, officiating. Interment will follow the service at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the Worlein Funeral Home and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Memorials are preferred to Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.