Kristin Gale Homme

Kristin Homme passed away Saturday, January 13, 2024 under hospice care in California at the age of 67.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 11:00 AM at Hawk Creek Lutheran Church in rural Sacred Heart, MN with interment in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.

Arrangements are with Anderson - TeBeest Funeral Home of Granite Falls.  www.andersontebeest.com

During the Korean War in the 1950s, Kris’s father Paul joined the US Air Force. He was assigned to Stephenville, Newfoundland, Canada. Kris was born there December 17, 1956. During Paul’s 21 years in the Air Force, they moved often: Spokane, Washington, Marin County, California, Madison, Wisconsin, the Philippine Islands, back to Madison, Washington, DC, San Antonio, Texas, and they retired to Granite Falls, Minnesota in 1976.

While living in Texas, Kris attended college in Austin. After graduating from the University of Texas as a Civil Engineer, Kris moved to northern California to work for large electric utilities, first in Sacramento and then in San Francisco.

Kris loved animals, especially dogs. She loved the outdoors, and often went camping, hiking, and sightseeing in California and abroad while she was still able. She made regular trips to visit family in Minnesota.

Kris valued education and invited her little brother to live with her for a better educational opportunity.

Kris valued justice, fairness, the golden rule, and doing the right thing. She wanted to make the world a better place.

Kris suffered rapid macular degeneration at age 33 and could no longer do that work. She turned her attention to studying health. Kris returned to college for Master’s Degrees in Public Health and Public Policy and did research, writing, and presentations.

Kris married Mark Elfield and became a stepmom to his adult children. Despite her limited vision, she carefully oversaw the construction of their home in Berkeley.

Unfortunately, her health deteriorated further, eventually linked to chronic mercury toxicity from dental fillings and other sources. Although she made some progress treating mercury poisoning, she struggled with ongoing health problems including inherited pernicious anemia. She became a researching advocate and activist against medical and dental mercury use.

As her health deteriorated, she became less able to care for her needs, eventually moving to a smaller house with a dedicated caregiver, Steven Fowkes, who provided care and comfort in her final months.

 Kris was preceded in death by her sister Karen Homme Andersen, father Paul Homme, grandparents Ole and Sylvia (Brevig) Homme of Granite Falls and Lillian (Nelson) and Herbert Hogberg of St. Paul.

She is survived by her mother Ginger of Granite Falls, brother Erik of Lake Lillian, foster sister ChunNa SonU of Dallas, Texas, aunt Julie (Homme) and uncle John Essame of Belview, husband Mark Elfield of Berkeley, his two children Laura and Daryl, and his four grandchildren Jacob, Rebecca, Joseph, and Benjamin in England, and special friend and caregiver Steven Fowkes of Berkeley.