E. Elouise (Kruse) Tolo, 72, died Monday, April 16, 2007 at her home in Spearfish, SD.

Visitation will be from 3:00PM until 7:00PM on Thursday, April 19, 2007, at Fidler-Isburg Funeral Chapel in Spearfish.

Funeral services will be at 10:00AM on Friday, April 20, 2007, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Spearfish, with Pastor Kent Stillson officiating, burial will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Memorials may be sent to: 1014 N Main Street, Spearfish, SD 57783.

Elouise was born on March 12, 1935 to William and Esther (Pendo) Kruse in Lead, SD. She grew up in Lead and graduated from Lead High School in 1951. She graduated with a BA from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, in 1955. She was a Fulbright scholar and studied at the University of Paris for one year. She earned an MA in Foreign Linguistics from Stanford University. Elouise worked at the Vietnam Embassy at the United Nations before holding interim teaching posts at Beard prep in New Jersey, SMU in Texas, and then Luther College in Iowa.

Elouise married Dr. Reverend Arthur J. Tolo in Lead, SD, on June 8, 1961. To this union two sons were born, Thor and Thomas. The family lived in Dallas, TX, St. Cloud, MN, Castalia, IA, and Spearfish, SD. Arthur passed away in 1977. Elouise married Herb Pantke in 1989 and he passed away in 1991. Elouise has spent the past 15 years working at the K-Mart store in Spearfish.

Elouise was an accomplished musician on the piano, organ and flute. She enjoyed traditional hymns, gardening and the beauty of the Black Hills.

She is survived by her two sons, Thor (Shelly) Tolo of Seattle, WA, and Tom (Desiree) Tolo of Sioux Falls, SD, one granddaughter, Allison, one brother Bill (Alice) Kruse of Sioux Falls, SD, and three nieces: Kim (Jim) Gulbranson of Paynesville, MN, Nancy (Dana) Oas of Harrisburg, SD, Sandra (Phil) Hamman of Sioux City, IA, and numerous relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and two husbands, Arthur J. Tolo and Herb Pantke.