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OBIT – Alma Eletha Lijestrand

MISSION/EDINBURG – Alma Eletha Deggs Liljestrand, 85, passed away in her sleep at Waterford Gardens in Mission on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016. Formerly of Edinburg, she had lived at Waterford for several months.

Mrs. Liljestrand was born on Aug. 6, 1930, to Elmer and Myrtle Deggs in Wells, Tex. She was a secretary for Hughes Tool when she met and married Charles “Charlie” Edward Liljestrand in Houston on June 1, 1957.

She had two sons, Robert and Jim Brunson, from a previous marriage, and a daughter, Elizabeth, was born to Eletha and Charlie in Houston before they moved to Edinburg on Feb. 28, 1959. Another son, Charles, and daughter, Lisa, were born into the family after they moved to the Valley.

Active in her community, she was a member and an elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Edinburg, and she served as an auxiliary volunteer at Edinburg Hospital for many years.

Survivors include her children, James (Melinda) Brunson of Mission, Elizabeth Liljestrand of McAllen, Charles (D’Anne) Liljestrand of Lindale; and Lisa Liljestrand of Jacksonville, Fla.; daughter-in-law, Kathy Brunson of Tyler; siblings, Carol (Duff+) Prestenbach of Austin, Helen (Norman) Wallace of Beeville, Faye (Earl) Martin of Coldsprings, Martha (Steve) Cook of Huntsville and Phillip (Patty) Deggs of New Caney; and 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles, in 1985; son, Robert; her parents; and a brother, John Deggs.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 6, at 2 p.m. at First Christian Church, 410 W. University Dr. in Edinburg.

Under the direction of Kreidler Funeral Home in McAllen, her remains will be cremated following the service and will later be laid to rest next to her husband’s.

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