Elaine Sue Youngren

Elaine Youngren, 71, of Ankeny, Iowa, and formerly of Dayton, went home to Jesus on Thursday, July 22, 2026, at UnityPoint Health – Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

Visitation will be held Wednesday, July 29, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Carson ~ Stapp Funeral Home in Dayton. A funeral service will be 10:30 a.m., Thursday, July 30, at the United Methodist Church in Dayton. Elaine’s funeral will be livestreamed on Carson ~ Stapp Funeral Home’s Facebook page. A luncheon will follow the service at the church. Following services, Elaine will be cremated. Inurnment will be 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 31, 2026, at Lost Grove Cemetery, rural Harcourt, Iowa. For online obituaries and condolences visit www.carsonstappfuneralhome.com

Elaine Sue Youngren was born on July 21, 1955, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the daughter of Chester and Ileen (Snyder) Youngren. She graduated from Dayton High School Class of 1973 and University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, BA 1977.

Growing up, Elaine was an active member of Dayton United Methodist Church participating in the choir, UMYF, Camp Quest at Lake Okoboji, for three summers, and the District UN Trip to Washington DC and the UN in New York City. After moving to Ankeny, she transferred membership to the Ankeny First United Methodist Church. She regularly volunteered to prepare and deliver meals to the homebound.

As a social worker for many years, Elaine worked in various capacities at several agencies in Council Bluffs, Cedar Rapids, Fort Dodge, Columbus, OH, and Boone, IA.

As a young farmgirl, summer mornings were spent in the family fields ‘walking the beans’. Afternoons were then spent with sisters and friends at either the swimming pool in Stratford or Gowrie. In the summers between college semesters, Elaine stayed with cousins in MN as she worked ‘corn pack’ for the Green Giant Co.

Elaine enjoyed Bunco evenings with friends, regularly met with high school gal pals for lunch, and worked the polls for elections. She was a fan of Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeye teams. She and a friend held season tickets to attend local plays and concerts. For a over a decade Elaine patiently and lovingly dedicated herself to fostering numerous pairs of rescue Bischon Frese dogs. Elaine will be remembered as fun, kind, generous, and always willing to step up to help out.

Survivors include her son, Justin (Emily) Youngren of Waukee, IA; sister, Teresa (Bill) Brecht, St. Charles, MO; brother-in-law, Don Rutenbeck, Ironton, MO; plus many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Elaine is preceded in death by brother, Timothy Youngren, and sister, Anne Rutenbeck.

Memorials in Elaine’s name will be distributed by her family to: the United Methodist Church in Dayton, First United Methodist Church in Ankeny, ARL of Iowa, and University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.