Fort Collins, CO—Mildred Elaine Mauck Decker Applegate was born December 17, 1923, at Langdon, KS, the sixth child of Phillip and Bessie Holmes Mauck. She died February 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 on 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 November 5, 1948.
On September 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 August 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 January, 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 of 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 February 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, Anya Applegate, Jonah Whitehead, and Adriela Whitehead.
A service will be held at Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive St, Fort Collins, CO, at 10:00 am on Friday, February 19, 2021. Masks and social distancing are required. The service will also be livestreamed.
A visitation will be held at Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main St., Hutchinson, KS, on Thursday, February 25, 2021, between 4 and 7 pm.
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 Tenth Avenue United Methodist Church, Hutchinson, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.
