Elaine Catherine Simone

Elaine Catherine Simone, age 99 of Woodbury, passed away peacefully on October 6, 2026, just 15 days short of her 100th birthday. She was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Elaine, the oldest of twelve, grew up on a farm on Gray Cloud Island. She went to a one-room schoolhouse and graduated from St. Paul Park High School. After high school she went to nurses training at St. Joseph's hospital where she stayed in the dorms and studied to become a nurse. In 1948, Elaine married her high school sweetheart, Edward Simone. She worked as a labor and delivery nurse until her first child was born. She decided to put her nursing career on hold to raise her seven children. She taught her children hard work through chores that included tending to their one-acre garden and keeping the household running.

After Elaine's youngest was old enough to go to school, she went back to nursing where she worked as the charge nurse at Woodbury Care Center. In 1988, she lost her husband at the young age of 65, right after he had retired. Elaine continued working and then retired in the early 90's after many years of service and care to her patients. In her retirement she began to travel. She did missionary work in Mexico and traveled to Italy, Medjugorje (Bosnia) and Israel. She loved to travel both alone and with friends, especially to religious sites and on missionary trips.

Elaine was 100-years of history. She shared her family history with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They loved listening to her stories of growing up and what life was like when she was a child. She was a fierce advocate for education and hard work. She loved all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved holding them as babies and teaching them how to cook as they got older.

Elaine is survived by her children, Mark (Mary), Marie Schmelz (Stephen), Gary (Wendy), Sharon Bruno (Mark), Paul (Andre), Lisa DeVries (Tim), Ann Haney (Jim); 18 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and siblings, Mary Jane (Mike) Pisano, JoAnn Hinz, and John (Pat).

She is preceded in death by her husband, Edward; parents, Henry and Eleanor Sandkamp; brothers, Virgil, Leo, Werner Bernie, Alan Gene; sisters, Marcia Ell, Carol Devereaux, Helen Jansen and Norma Koenigs.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM Friday, October 16, 2026, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 920 Holley Ave. St. Paul Park, MN with visitation beginning at 10 AM. Following the graveside service, all are invited to a luncheon to celebrate her 100th birthday.

Memorials preferred to The Pillars Hospice Home: 6025 Upper 35th Street North, Oakdale, MN 55128 | (651) 444-4060

LIVESTREAM INFORMATION: For those who would like to participate in the service via livestream, you can watch the service by scrolling to the bottom of this page and click "PLAY" to begin. Please leave a message of support on our Tribute Wall to let the family know you were able to watch the service. If you are having trouble with the Livestream, the service will be available to watch later in the day.