Elaine Brunette, 89, formerly of Libby
Elaine Leora was born April 15, 1923, at Lockhart, Minn., to Leo and Emma Malakowski.
Leo was of German heritage and Emma Tilly (Svenby) was Norwegian and English. They were both born in Minnesota. Emma’s father, Oscar Swenby, (later changed to Svenby) came on a boat to America when he was 15. Her mother, Julia, was born in Wisconsin.
Leo and Emma had three children Myvonne, Donald and Elaine. They were two years apart in age, Elaine being the youngest. The Malakowski family lived on a farm at Lockhart, Minn. Leo farmed until after his wife passed away from leukemia. The family attended church together.
Elaine attended school in Fertile, Minn., until her sophomore year of high school. Her Mom passed away and Elaine, 16, had to quit school to help out in the family home. There, she helped with household chores and took care of Duaine Svenby, her cousin, who lived in their home. Duaine lived in their home from a baby until he graduated from high school. The family moved to Glasgow, Mont., for two years while Leo worked on the Fort Peck Dam. They moved back to Maple Bay.
When Elaine was 17, her father encouraged her to take a cooking job on a farm near Crookston, Minn. This is where she met Horace Habeck.
Horace and Elaine were married on June 8, 1941, at her aunt’s home in Mentor, Minn. They lived around Lockhart where Horace worked on a farm, then moved to Tacoma, Wash,, to work in the shipyards. The Habeck’s moved back to Crookston, Minn, where Horace worked at Bridgman’s creamery and Elaine was a waitress. Then in 1951, the family moved to Libby where Elaine was a checker at Art Adkins grocery, a waitress at the Hi Note Café and Surprise Café.
Later Elaine married Arthur (Bud) Brunette. Bud was a building contractor. He built the Surprise Café in 1943, for a relative. He and Elaine ran the Libby Café off and on through the years.
Elaine said she had a desire to become a nurse or teacher and to play the piano. She did become a very good cook. She made the world’s best lemon pies and taught herself to play the ukulele.
Elaine loved Jesus. She was a long time member of the Assembly of God and later became a member of the First Church of the Nazarene so she could worship with her family. Elaine loved music and the beautiful hymns she learned through the years. She and sister Myvonne would sing specials in church. Embroidering was the hand work she liked to do. She enjoyed her yard work, flowers, lawn mowing and even snow blowing when she was healthy enough to do them.
Elaine has three sons Orville (Dianne) Habeck, Ronald (Betty) Habeck and Gary (Evie) Habeck. She has 6 grandchildren, Michele (Mike), Brett (Janell), Rhonda, Sandy (Bill), Ron (Jaynanne), and Jimmy (Jamie). She has 9 great-grandchildren, Mandi (Alan), Melody, Kylie, Hallie, Carlie, Ty, Rebekah, Allison and Elizabeth. She also has 1 great-great-grand-daughter Riley.
Visitation will be Thursday, June 21, 2012, from 1 to 8 p.m. at the Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Libby. Services will be Friday, June 22, at 2 p.m. at the Church of the Nazarene in Libby.