Ellen Anita Varnado, 81, of Red Wing died Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Red Wing. She was born on March 31, 1933 in Alma, WI to Lyle and Sarah (Scott) Stewart. In 1943 her family moved to Fountain City, WI and then in 1944 her family moved to Red Wing. She attended schools in Alma, Fountain City and Red Wing. On December 28, 1948 she married Roger Quade, Sr. in Durand, WI. They later divorced. She worked at Meadow Lands Produce, Red Wing Shoe Company and Red Wing Industries. On January 29, 1968 she married Cecil Ray Varnado in Webster, South Dakota. She then worked for Whistle Stop Café in Frontenac, Golden Corral and Treasure Island Resort and Casino. She also did daycare for many years. She was a member of the New River Assembly of God Church and the Red Men Club. She enjoyed gardening, garage sales, reading, writing poems, traveling, fishing, camping, playing the organ, crossword puzzles, art and canning. She also sponsored a child from Ethiopia. She will be remembered as a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother. Ellen will be deeply missed.
She is survived by her husband, Cecil; four children, Sandy Hern of Rochester and Helen Stewart, Tim Varnado, and Tom (Judy) Varnado, all of Red Wing; eight grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; one sister, Shirley (David) Sommerfield of Frontenac; three brothers, Harry Stewart of Red Wing, Jerry (Karen) Stewart of Red Wing, and Lyle (Nolie) Stewart, Jr. of Frontenac and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; two sons, Roger Quade and Bobby Varnado; three grandsons, Zachary Varnado, Nathan Stewart, and Matthew Stewart; two sisters, Helen Stewart and Elaine Mida and three brothers, Alfred, George and Charles Stewart.
Funeral service will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at New River Assembly of God Church in Red Wing with Reverend Tom Johnson officiating. Burial will be in the Burnside Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, February 2 at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel and one hour prior to the service at the church. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.
Visitation
FEB
2.
4:00 PM - 8:00 PM (CST)
Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel
602 Plum Street P.O. Box 111
Red Wing, MN 55066
Visitation
FEB
3.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (CST)
New River Assembly of God
240 Spates Ave.
Red Wing, MN 55066
Service
FEB
3.
2:00 PM (CST)
New River Assembly of God
240 Spates Ave.
Red Wing, MN 55066