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Eldore Leier

March 17, 1925-July 20, 2020

Eldore Leier, 95, Minot,

died Monday, July 20,

2020 in her home with

her daughter Paula by her

side.

Eldore was born March

17, 1925 in Tripp, SD to

Otto and Anna (Lagge)

Mehlhoff.

In 1945, Eldore started

in the office as a vital

statistics clerk under clerk

Anna Jones. Eldore, a

Garrison native, attended

Minot State University for

a year and taught a

half-term in a country

school before joining the

clerk’s office.

Eldore left the office in

1948 to start her family,

returning in 1953. She be-

came deputy clerk under

Rose Tossett, who became

clerk in 1955. In 1968,

she was appointed clerk

upon Tossett’s resignation

and won election 5 times.

Eldore was given a

Supreme Court appoint-

ment in 1975 to its ad-

visory management infor-

mations committee. Her

other appointments in-

cluded the court service

administration committee

in 1983, of which she

remained a member, court

records management sub-

committee in 1984 and

state jury standards com-

mittee in 1986. She is a

past president of the state

Clerk of Court Associa-

tion, handling more than

$3 million in child sup-

port payments by comput-er. It files all civil, crimi-

nal and juvenile actions

plus divorces and damage

actions. That is in addi-

tion to setting up trials,

swearing in witnesses and

processing court tran-

scripts for three judges.

Under the unified court

system, the three Minot

judges and two Williston

judges are part of the

northwest district, which

is quite different from

working with one judge

back in 1945. Eldore had

mixed emotions about re-

tiring because her job had

been her way of life for so

many years. She always

said it was a great experi-

ence working with all the

lawyers and judges during

her career.

In retirement she en-

joyed traveling and life

outside of work. She was

kind to anyone who need-

ed help and was a very

compassionate woman.

We have so many happy

memories of our mom.

After working she would

come home and cook a

wonderful dinner with

dessert. She had a great

sense of humor; we al-

ways had so much fun.

We will always remember

her laughter and that

twinkle in her dark brown

eyes. Because of her intui-

tive spirit, she always

knew when something

was wrong. We could talk

to her about anything.

Everyone told us she was

the sweetest woman they

have ever known. We

were very proud and

blessed to have her as our

“Mother.”

Eldore was a member of

Christ Lutheran Church.

Eldore’s loving family

includes daughters Paula

Laroque, Missoula, MT

and Minot and Kathy (Lar-

ry) Leone, El Cajon, CA;

grandsons Jesse Luxem,

Missoula, MT and Robert

(Kim) Irwin, San Diego,

CA; great-grandchildren,

Sarah Bidlake and Isaac

and Audrey Erwin; sisters

Aldine Grindy, Minneapo-lis, MN and JeanAnne

Sneed, Fargo, ND and

brother Rollin (Barb)

Mehlhoff, Bismarck, ND

along with numerous

nieces and nephews.

Eldore was preceded in

death by her parents,

brothers Vilo, Dale ‘Bud’

and Melvin Mehlhoff;

brothers-in-law Jack

Sneed and Louie Grindy,

dear friend and compan-

ion Leo Vandel and form-

er spouse Lee Leier.

Celebration of Eldore’s

Life: 1:00 p.m. Wednes-

day, August 5, 2020 at the

Thomas Family Funeral

Home, Minot.

Memories and con-

dolences can be shared at

www.thomasfamily

funeralhome.com