Mildred Elaine Mauck Decker Applegate was born Dec. 17, 1923, the sixth child of Phillip and Bessie Holmes Mauck. She died Feb. 15, 2021, in Fort Collins, CO. Her childhood was spent in the rural central Kansas community of Lerado, and she graduated from Langdon High School in 1941.
Elaine attended Fort Hays Kansas State College in 1941-1942 and earned a teaching certificate. In 1942-1943 she taught eight grades at Prairie Hall school northwest of Pretty Prairie, Kansas. Then in 1943-1944 she taught grades 1-3 at Plevna Kansas Elementary School.
While at Fort Hays College, Elaine met Kenneth Sylvester Decker of Bison, Kansas and they were married in March 25, 1944. In the winter of 1948, Kenneth was diagnosed with leukemia and died on July 9, 1948. Elaine gave birth to their son, Kenneth Sylvester Decker, Jr. on Nov. 5, 1948.
On Sept. 14, 1949 Elaine and Harold Glenn Applegate were married at her grandfather’s home in Langdon KS. Glenn worked in the Plevna State Bank in Plevna, and so Elaine, Glenn and Kenny moved to Plevna. Their daughter Barbara Elaine was born Aug. 3, 1950 and Glenn adopted Kenny at the same time. Another son Gary Robert was born July 16, 1953. In 1957, Glenn took a job at the First State Bank in Leoti, KS, 200 miles to the west of Plevna. A third son, Randy Lee was born in Leoti on May 27, 1958.
Once Glenn retired from the bank in Jan.1984, he and Elaine became “snowbirds”, spending summers in Leoti and winters in Apache Junction, AZ. Glenn passed away in January 2005, shortly after their move from Leoti to independent living at Wesley Towers in Hutchinson, KS, just a few miles from where Elaine and Glenn grew up. Elaine lived at Wesley Towers until 2016 when she moved to Fort Collins, CO to be near her daughter Barbara, son Randy, and sister Melba Treaster.
Elaine lived in independent living until March, 2020, when due to Covid-19 lockdown she moved in with Barbara. She was able to remain in Barbara’s home until her death from natural causes on Feb. 15, 2021, at age 97.
Elaine was predeceased by her husbands Kenneth Decker and Glenn Applegate, son Kenneth, her parents Phillip and Bessie Mauck, sisters Beulah, Lois, Phyllis Mae, and Marjorie, brothers Howard, Kenneth, Kenton, and Henry.
She is survived by her sister Melba Treaster of Fort Collins, CO, daughter Barbara Applegate of Fort Collins, CO, son Gary Applegate and daughter-in-law Kathy of Wichita KS, son Randy Applegate and daughter-in-law Vikki of Westminster, CO. She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Bonnie Gottschalk, Lynn Books, Janette Ashton, Tim Applegate (Erin), Judy Olguin (Donald), Morgan Eaton, Kenneth Applegate (Corey), Matthew Applegate (Aubrey), Brittany Applegate, Elizabeth Applegate (Colby); 20 great-grandchildren: Nicole, Coty, Kayla, Charles Books, Annabella and Elianna Gunn, Jaxson Gilbert, Hattie Applegate, Olin Applegate, Willow Applegate, Reece Gasparino, Donnie Olguin III, Zari Olguin, Jordan Olguin, Cataleya Olguin, Annabelle Applegate, Jason Applegate, Adalyn Applegate, Alivia Applegate, Anay Applegate, Jonah Whitehead, and Adriela Whitehead.
A service will be held at Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive St, Fort Collins, CO at 10 a.m. on Friday Feb. 19, 2021. Masks and social distancing are required. The service will also be live-streamed.
A visitation will be held at Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main St., Hutchinson, KS. on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
A graveside service for family and friends will be held at Lerado Cemetery in Reno County, KS on Memorial Sunday, May 30, 2021.
Memorial donations may be made to Christ United Methodist Church, Fort Collins.