Elna Root Kinnison, also known as Steve, was born in Nebraska on November 27, 1919 and passed away Saturday, March 14, 2015 at the Washington County Nursing Home. She came to Washington County, Colorado as a baby with her parents, Elza and Edna Root, her brother, Arthur, and her sister, Evelyn Root Miller, where they homesteaded south of Platner.

Elna attended Ashland Grade School near her home. After completing the eighth grade, she attended Platner High School, boarding in town during the week. Summers were spent working on the farm often herding cows in the pastures during the day with the "Parker Kids". She graduated from high school in 1937.

She continued her education at Colorado State College of Education graduating in 1939. She began teaching in rural Washington County schools.

At a dance at the age of 13, she met the love of her life, Chester Kinnison. On August 23, 1943, he told her he would be back the next day to get married. Not believing him, she was snapping green beans and not ready. She quickly got ready and they were married August 24, 1943 in Sidney, Nebraska. She continued to teach until their daughter, Elza Ann, was born in 1947. At that time they moved to their own farm and she became a partner with her husband in the farming and ranching work. Together they raised cattle and hogs, milked cows and had a farming operation.

When Elza Ann became ten years old, she was old enough to join the Shirts and Skirts
4-H Club. Soon after, Elna became a leader for that club and continued until after Elza Ann graduated from high school. During that time, Elna became very interested in the workshops for adults the extension office offered in sewing, foods and home decorating and took advantage of them, even hosting the workshops in her home and traveling to Burlington, Colorado.

Through the workshops she mastered the art of quilting. She taught classes to others wanting to learn to quilt and passed the art on to her daughter, granddaughter, and granddaughter-in-law. She also belonged to the Colorado Quilters Council and local quilting clubs in Brush, Fort Morgan, Haxtun and Akron. Her work was exhibited at the Haxtun Corn Festival.

Elna joined the Prairie Bells Extension Club in the 1960's and later joined the Antelope Springs Extension Club. At this time, she began exhibiting at the fair. She held many offices in the clubs and was a representative to the Extension Homemakers County Council where she served as President. She remained a member of extension clubs until December 2009 and continued to exhibit at the fair through 2009 and later exhibited as a resident of the Washington County Nursing Home. One of the greatest highlights of her life was being selected as the Grand Marshal of the Washington County Fair Parade. She was escorted in the parade by her grandsons, Curt and Craig, and chauffeured by her granddaughter, Kristin, in a convertible!

Elna was also a member of the Nighthawk Social Club and enjoyed entertaining them recently at the nursing home. She took several chartered bus trips after Chet's death and got to see most of the United States bringing souvenirs home to share with family.

Elna moved to Akron in 2000 and found a new world - new friends, cable tv, Meet and Eat, and Pioneer Haven activities. She loved the activities at the nursing home and rarely missed participating in them.

Times with her grandchildren were her favorite. She enjoyed supporting their activities and often took them on road trips to purchase watermelon, go back to school shopping or visit places like the Genoa tower and Bird City Old Thresher's Day.

Elna is a member of the Bethel Union Church of Anton. After moving to Akron, she attended the Akron United Methodist Church and enjoyed the church services at Pioneer Haven and the nursing home.

Elna is survived by her daughter, Elza Ann and husband Richard Parker, grandson Curtis Parker and wife Chandra, granddaughter Kristin and husband Rod Bickel and grandson Craig Parker and wife Cherylee. Also surviving are her great grandchildren, Briana Bickel and fiance' Keith Dutro, Parker and Hayden Bickel, Brooke, Ryan and Megan Parker. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law, Marvel Guertner and Eileen Boden and a host of nieces and nephews and their families.

She was preceded in death by her husband and her great grandson Joseph Parker, as well as her parents, her brother Art and his wife Zelda and sister Evelyn and her husband
John Miller and Chet's sisters Helen Hefty, Lucille Barrett and Vera Malone.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of Akron. Interment will follow at the Akron Cemetery. Memorials may be made in her memory to the Activity Program at the Washington County Nursing Home.