Pastor’s passing will leave void
By Edna Sailor
Elise Lavonne Packineau died recently. And with that death people who knew and loved her will feel a significant void. Pastor Elise Packineau ministered to people through the UCC Churches in Parshall and Mandaree. But her caring and loving efforts on behalf of people extended far beyond the walls of those churches.
Pastor Marilyn Levine from the UCC Church in New Town recalls Packineau’s ministry fondly.
"I remember Elise as a person of immense energy and passion. She wanted to change the way people felt about themselves here on Fort Berthold, especially those who had been impacted by alcohol and drug addiction, historical trauma (especially the loss of rights around the dam and the whisking away of so many into oppressive boarding schools), spousal and child abuse and human trafficking. She was an instigator, a comforter and a confronter of those who just didn’t care any longer. She spent time with the sick and the depressed. She walked around the Reservation to raise awareness of these issues," Levine said.
