Sister Elvan was born on a farm near Browerville, Minn., in 1914 and grew up speaking Polish at home and at the parish school, St. Joseph’s (now Holy Angels). She still remembers some of the Polish hymns as her favorites. The second of 12 children, she had a lot of responsibilities at home. Her favorite day was when “Bishop [Joseph] Busch placed that ring on my finger,” and she entered the monastery, she said.

S. Elvan became a teacher and taught in a variety of missions and schools throughout her working life. She preferred the fourth through sixth grades. Though she taught many subjects, including biology and social studies, her favorite was music. She led rhythm bands at White Earth Reservation and at Little Falls, and had a harmonica band at Ss. Peter and Paul in Gilman, Sobieski and Browerville. She also served as principal at Sobieski and Browerville.

In 1976, S. Elvan traveled to Poland with two of her sisters and met five sets of cousins. She also traveled to Mexico City with a group led by Reverend Mark Willenbring to see the shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe. She currently resides at Saint Scholastica Convent in St. Cloud.