Ellen "Ellie" Triemert (Sass)

Age 89, of Afton.

​Owner of Afton Care.​

Ellie was born September 25, 1930 to Louis and Elsie Sass and was number 8 of 10 children. She grew up on St Paul's east side, graduated from Harding HS, married and raised five children, often working two jobs as a waitress to help support and educate her family. She later became an in-home day care provider and eventually her passion to care for children turned to a deeper passion to provide care for seniors.  

Her dream of owning a residential senior care facility became a reality in the year 2000 when Afton Care welcomed its first resident. Many many grateful residents followed over the next twenty years residing at the original location or one of the other two homes in Afton.  

Ellie passed away January 24, 2020 at her Afton Care senior home with family, caregivers and residents present.  

Over the last several years, Ellie loved working in her beautiful garden, thrift store shopping, an occasional casino trip, other road trips, going out for lunch, the weekly card game with her siblings, visiting with her residents, and enjoying the multitude of family celebrations that took place over her lifetime.  

Her parents; her siblings, Laura Linder, Harry, Marie Mohrlant, Herb, Mickey, Frank; her former husband Tom; and son Tom Jr have passed before her.  

This fiercely strong willed and incredibly hardworking woman has truly been an inspiration and a very special mother to Cindy (Dave) Heinn, Steve (Ginny), Vickie Drigans, David (Maria) and a “second mom” to Ed Prayfrock - someone who could always make her smile! Surviving siblings Ruth Swanson, Bill and Jim will surely miss her. 11 Grandchildren, 13 Great grandchildren, her Resident Caregivers, many extended family and friends, and the current residents and their families will dearly miss her.  

Thank you to Dr Yin Ji and the other Regions Hospital physicians and staff who cared for Ellie. Proud to be a part of that team! Special thanks to Lakeview Hospice for the compassionate “Home Care” services they provided and to the caregivers at Afton Care for being strong for Ellie during some very challenging times.  

Come join us for a celebration of Ellie's life on Monday February 3 from 3-8 PM with a service at 6 PM at MUELLER-BIES FUNERAL HOME-ROSEVILLE, 2130 N. Dale St. @ County Road B.  

To honor her love for gardening and seeing the joy it provided to others, memorials are preferred to fund a park bench to be placed in her memory at Como Park Conservatory. To further honor her belief that everyone has a responsibility to help others, she has donated her body to the U of M Anatomy Bequest Program for Medical Student clinical education.