Georgia Ann Elwell

Age 83, of Saint Paul, MN, passed away peacefully on August 20, 2026, after a brief battle with cancer. She was preceded in death by her parents, Reid and Anna Bernice (Page) Elwell; brother, Micheal; and sister, Jean (Terry Keir). She is survived by siblings Patricia (Brian Earley), John (Maureen Peltier), and James; and nephews and nieces Peter, Katherine (Justin Krasinski), Michael (Catherine Day), Sean (Mande), Joseph, and Helena.

Georgia was born in Carrington, North Dakota, in 1943, the first of six children. Her parents, Reid and Bernice, were both schoolteachers. The family moved several times in Georgia's childhood, and Georgia attended schools in at least three small communities, including Gray Eagle and Fairfax, Minnesota. She attended Saint Catherine's University in Saint Paul followed by the University of Minnesota, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish. She joined the family business of education in 1965.

Georgia began her teaching career in Mound, Minnesota. After several years, she moved to California in hopes of finding work there but was unable to find a suitable position. She returned to Minnesota and began working at Oakland Junior High School in the Stillwater School District, a position she held until her retirement in 1999. For 33 years, Georgia shared her knowledge with middle school students as a teacher of English and Spanish. She believed that education was not only about gaining knowledge, but about becoming a thoughtful, caring person who contributes to making a kinder society; something she lived by.

Georgia was a voracious reader, with an insatiable curiosity and a deep interest in words and the world around her. As a talented wordsmith, she never met a crossword puzzle that she could not subdue with an ink pen and flawless penmanship. She was also a formidable Scrabble player in her prime. It is possible that Georgia read more books than anyone who ever knew her, although she would never have asked the Guinness folks to put her in the record book. Too humble. She loved cats, especially feral ones who came meowing to her door looking for some milk and a crust of bread. Inevitably, she took them in and cared for them until they died. At one time, she thought seriously about leaving all she owned to a cat-supporting charity.

Georgia leaves behind a legacy of compassion, strength, and concern for others. She loved her nieces and nephews and enjoyed family gatherings whenever she was feeling fit enough to attend. She was especially kind to her siblings, sharing her home with each of them for extended periods of time, sometimes for as long as two years. She often became feisty when discussing schools and school administration, as her primary focus was always on how to best reach and teach her students. Her major achievement was surviving 33 years as a middle school teacher.

Her family and friends will carry her memory in their hearts forever.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 6, 2026, at Simple Traditions by Bradshaw Funeral Home, 488 Humboldt Avenue, Saint Paul, with visitation one hour prior.

Memorials are preferred to:

Cause for Paws in Rosevillehttps://www.causeforpawsmn.org/donateA small all-volunteer group of friends who love cats and want to make a difference for cats in the community.

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Libraryhttps://thefriends.org/donate/memorial-giving/Which directly funds the acquisition of new materials for youth programming, children's sections, and teen spaces across the library network.

Donations may be made directly on the site or given to the family to forward.