Elsie A. Anna Stromstad

Elsie A. Anna Stromstad was born January 8, 1927 to Benjamin Franklin Greathouse and Dovie Paralee Greathouse in Bibb County, Alabama. She graduated from Centerville High School and worked at a paper bag company. While visiting her friend, Norma Schumm, she met her future husband, Donald Elgin Stromstad in Biloxi, Mississippi July 13, 1952. She married Don in Biloxi on September 13, 1952. While Don was attending radar school in Long Island, she enjoyed taking the train into NYC and exploring the city. Before Don was deployed to Korea, they traveled across the country to Alkabo, ND where Don was born.  Elsie spent the winter there with his parents while Don started his assignment in Korea. It is hard to imagine the idea of the southern lady experiencing her first winter with her new in-laws in northern ND. (Shudder, shiver)

Elsie then moved to Denver CO and lived with Don’s sister, Beverly Zehrung, Artis Williams and Joey Nichols. While there, Elsie worked in alterations at Neusteter’s Department Store. She hemmed and altered clothing for various prominent women of Denver and visiting celebrities, including Ethel Merman. When Don arrived back in the US, they made their home in the Denver area. It was a great compromise between the humid south and the frozen north. They bought their first home and had two daughters, Donna Macias and Pam Ianni.

When Don opened the very first car stereo store in Colorado, Elsie became his bookkeeper. She held that position until the store closed in 1976. Elsie then worked as a bookkeeper at Ball Accounting for 36 years. It was Elsie’s income that allowed Donna and Pam to enjoy years of dance lessons and all of their extracurricular activities. Elsie always loved word puzzles and in her later years got great satisfaction out of her many word find books.

Elsie developed an aortal blood clot that was blocking the blood flow to her femoral arteries. This was discovered on Friday, December 1^st and emergency surgery was performed that evening. The surgery was successful but proved to be too much for her heart. She passed quietly 30 hours after her diagnosis on December 2^nd at the age of 96 surrounded by her family.  She is survived by her daughters, Donna Macias (Rick Macias) and Pam Ianni (Joel James), her grandchildren, Kenton Hanson (Stephanie), Kimberly Brown (Tyler), Tony Ianni, Dino Ianni and Hannah Carey. She has four lovely great granddaughters who she adored: Grace Ann Hanson, Scotty Jo Brown, Morgan Katherine Hanson, and Brynlee Ryan Brown.

Funeral services will take place December 13^th at Horan & McConaty at 11150 E Dartmouth Avenue Aurora, CO 80014 at 10:30am. Visitation will be prior at 10:00am. There will be a Celebration of Life Luncheon at El Gran Jardin restaurant at Windsor Gardens following the service 597 S Clinton Street Denver, CO 80247.

** UPDATE The internment will take place on December 20^th at 2:00 at Fort Logan National Cemetery 4400 West Kenyon Avenue Denver, CO 80236; AT STAGING AREA B.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation to your favorite charity in Elsie’s name.