Elsie was born on September 6, 1913 in Brainerd, Minnesota, the oldest of three children born to Emil and Ottilie Janke Adams. She spent her young years in the Pingry, Jamestown area of North Dakota. Her mother read from the Bible and Elsie still remembered her upbringing. As a teenager she and her sister went to Washington where her mother and brother had moved. When her mother moved to Billings, Elsie did also. She met John Wegner at a church baseball game. They were married on June 27, 1935. Their first home was a sheep wagon in a cow camp. They purchased a place in Powder River County in 1943 near the Liscomb lookout. Elsie was a hard worker, she and John did most of the work and very seldom did they have a hired man. The wash water and drinking water was carried from a well over the hill, there was no electricity and her washing machine was a wringer washer with a Briggs and Stratton engine. In 1952 they purchased some more land, John added on to the house and electricity came in 1952. She did not have running water, automatic washer or indoor bathroom until 1989 when her Grandson (Brian Dice) remodeled a bedroom while she was on a trip to see her sister (Esther Hanes).

Even though the work was hard, Elsie enjoyed the country life, her chickens and especially spring when the grasses came to life. Elsie celebrated her 90th birthday with an open house at the Stacey Hall. She was overwhelmed by the number of friends and relatives who came to wish her well.

She is survived by her daughter Dorothy (Mervin) Meidinger, grandson Brian (Maggie) Dice of Stacey, Darrell Pelvit of Minnesota and Jason Pelvit of Miles City, 3 great-grandchildren Adam (Sydney) Dice, of Billings, Bethany Dice of Cody, WY and Brittany Dice attending college in Bozeman, her sister Esther Hanes of Chewelah, WA and several neices and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband John in 1988, a son David in 1944, and a brother Bill.