Elissa Stauffacher, 45

Published by admin on Wed, 04/05/2023 - 3:46pm

Elissa Maureen Stauffacher was born in Owatonna, Minn., on May 11, 1977 to Denise and Jeff Gray. She was baptized on June 26, 1977 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Owatonna, Minn. On March 24, 1991 she was confirmed at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Elissa attended grade school at Brandon Elementary. She graduated from Brandon Valley High School in 1995. While she was in high school she enjoyed playing the French horn in the Brandon Valley Marching Band and attended several Lutheran summer music camps. She was inducted into the Brandon Valley Music Hall of Fame. Elissa enjoyed playing in the Sioux Empire Youth Symphony.

Elissa attended college and studied music at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and Augustana University in Sioux Falls. Following her college years, she worked at various mortgage companies in the Sioux Falls area.

Elissa was untied in marriage to Travis Stauffacher on March 17, 2002. This union was blessed with two children, Tristan and Graham. She was a member of Blessed Redeemer Lutheran Church in Brandon. She was a member of the Brandon Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and enjoyed being on the committee for the Ed Polzine Wild Game Feed.

Elissa passed away at Avera McKennan Hospital on Sunday, April 2, 2023 at the age of 45 years 10 months 22 days.

She was proceeded in death by her grandparents, Sid and Marie Gray and Elliot and Donna Whoolery; aunt, Vicki Seeck; and uncle, John Whoolery.

Elissa is survived by her parents, Denise and Jeff Gray of Brandon; her son, Tristan Stauffacher of Sioux Falls, and his fiancé, Melissa Teal of Luverne, Minn.; her son, Graham Stauffacher of Sioux Falls; her brother, Brian Gray and his wife, Shanna, and their children, Jamison and Bradley Lawrence of Brandon; her aunt Alison and uncle Brian Johnson of Avon, Minn.; her uncle Stephen and aunt Terri Whoolery of Fergus Falls, Minn.; her uncle Jeff Whoolery of Sauk Centre, Minn.; her aunt Judy and uncle Ronald Lewison of Owatonna, Minn.; great-uncle Maurice and his wife Patti Orn, of Stirum N.D.; great-aunt Janney Totenhagen of Stirum N.D.; as well as many cousins, and numerous friends and other relatives.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Sioux Falls Humane Society or the Brandon Valley Band.

For online condolences, visit georgeboom.com.