Elsie G. Diemand WENDELL -- Elsie Gertrude Diemand, 90, of 126 Mormon Hollow Road died Tuesday, June 12, 2007, at home. Elsie was born at home on July 21, 1916 in Northampton. A graduate of Northampton High School in 1934, she also held a degree from McCarthy Business College (1936). She worked at the Prophylactic Brush Co. until her marriage to Albert Joseph Diemand on Dec. 31, 1940. Her husband of 59 years died on May 2, 2000. Between the years of 1942 and 1957, Albert and Elsie Diemand had 12 children. They also founded and ran the Diemand Egg Farm in Wendell. In addition to being the mother of 12, Elsie served as a full business partner as the farm transitioned from raising only chickens for meat to a widely diversified agricultural operation, producing chickens and turkeys, eggs, maple syrup and lumber. Elsie served as secretary and treasurer of the farm as it grew to include all these products and later opened a commercial kitchen and a retail store. For decades, Elsie and her husband were daily communicants at St. John's Church in Millers Falls, where she also taught religious education. She was a founding member of the Wendell Golden Agers and until her recent illnesses, she invited Wendell seniors to lunch at the farm following the monthly Council on Aging clinics. On Aug. 19, 2006, Elsie was honored at Wendell Old Home Day as Wendell Citizen of the year. Elsie is survived by her children: Joseph, Mary, Judith Bailey, Faith, Peter, Edward and Anne of Wendell; Bertha Petruski of Fairhaven, Elsie Blanchard of Northampton, Albert of Houston, Texas; Anthony of Montague and Paul of Millers Falls. She is also survived by 24 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 9 a.m. in Blessed Sacrament Church in Greenfield. Burial will follow at the Diemand family cemetery in Wendell. Calling hours at the Kostanski Funeral Home, 1 Kostanski Square, Turners Falls, are today from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Baystate Visiting Nurses Association, P.O. Box 1558, Greenfield, MA 01302 or to Friends of the Wendell Free Library, P.O. Box 133, Wendell, MA 01379. Sympathy message available at www.kostanskifuneralhome.com.

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