Elvira "Vera" Wander, age 94, of Fargo, ND, formerly of Waubun, MN, died on Tuesday, June 13, 2017, at Eventide Nursing Home in Fargo.

Elvira Evelyn Dalman was born May 22, 1923, in Dunn Township of rural Pelican Rapids, MN, the daughter of Alfred and Lydia (Nilson) Dalman. She grew up in the Dunvilla area where she attended school. On March 7, 1943, Elvira was united in marriage to John Jay Wander in Brownsville, TX, while he was in the military. The couple made their home in Texas for a short time before moving to Portland, OR. John and Vera then moved back to the Waubun area where they raised their family. Vera was a hard worker and, in addition to being a full time mom, grandma and wife, she held a variety of jobs over the years including building gyros for the military, working at the Swift Turkey Plant, cleaning the Waubun parish house, and candling eggs at the Fairmont Creamery in Moorhead. She also spent many years as an election worker while living in Waubun. Upon retirement, John and Vera moved to Moorhead, MN, in 1993. John passed away in 2007 and Vera remained in her home in Moorhead until 2012, when she moved to assisted Living at Eventide: The Fairmont in north Moorhead. She lived there until January 2017, and then moved to Eventide Nursing Home in south Fargo.

Vera enjoyed the outdoors and always planted a large garden at her home in Waubun. She was a wonderful cook and canned much of her bountiful harvest from the garden. Vera's hospitable nature lent itself to company stopping by for coffee and never leaving hungry. She also had a great sense of humor and liked to laugh and joke around. Vera's favorite color was red, which was often evident in her home decorating and cloth choices. Vera loved to travel with her husband and family, play the accordion and piano, and attend her son's and grandchildren's musical and drama performances. She was a wonderful and loving caretaker to her grandchildren and to her husband when he was ill. Her persistence and determination helped her facilitate the paving of the road outside her Waubun home, as well as dig her own basement under her home by hand. Vera liked things clean. She would, on occasion, pack her own cleaning supplies when traveling and give rooms the once-over before they were good to go. Vera was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church in Waubun and later St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Moorhead.

Vera is survived by three sons: Lloyd (Helen) of Kissimmee, FL, Wayne (Pat) of Brainerd, MN, and Keith (Michelle) of Moorhead; one daughter, Eileen (Mike) Westemeier of Aitken, MN; 14 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, Marie Dalman of Pelican Rapids; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; seven siblings: Eric (Lois) Dalman, Carl Dalman, Walfred (Jeannie) Dalman, Lorraine (Charles) Grobe, Floyd Dalman, Lillian (Norma) Schirmer and Gust (Ethelyn) Dalman.