Elizabeth Sokolowsky

Elizabeth Sokolowsky, our beloved mother, returned to meet our Heavenly Father on Thursday, 16 March 2023; she was 101+ years old. Her daughters had spent the previous weekend with her, and bade her goodbye Monday morning, 13 March. She passed away in her sleep the following Thursday morning.

Elizabeth was born in Uelzen, Germany on 23 December 1921, the first of nine children born to Wilhelm and Marie Anna Jueschke. Elizabeth’s father immigrated from Germany in 1929 and settled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As was typical with many families who immigrated to America, Wilhelm came over first, leaving his pregnant wife to care for their 5 daughters; and with the help of a brother already living in Milwaukee he obtained employment and a place to live. Six months later (March 1930), Elizabeth’s mother immigrated with her and her sisters: Elizabeth (age 8); Marianne (6); Hanna (4); Eleonore (3); and Ruth (11 months). Margaret was born 6 weeks later. Her brother Bill was born in 1933. A set of Twins were born 11 months after Elizabeth was born—a boy and a girl; however, they lived only a few hours.

Her parents were converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having joined the Church in Uelzen in 1921. Elizabeth was still living in Germany when she turned 8, which is the age most youth are baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but her father was in America. She was baptized in Milwaukee by her father on 29 June 1930. The first time Elizabeth and her mother and sisters attended the Sunday services in the Milwaukee Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a young deacon by the name of Victor Sokolowsky was also in attendance. Victor noticed the 8-year-old Elizabeth and poked the deacon sitting next to him and said, “Look at those greenhorns just off the boat.”

Growing up in Milwaukee, Elizabeth adapted quickly to her new American way of life. So much so that by the time she was in high school, she was in the National Honors Society. She loved dances, going to the movies, and attending her many ward activities. After high school graduation, she worked in the foreign exchange division of the Marshall and Ilsley Bank in Milwaukee. She still spoke fluent German and she handled all incoming foreign cables, conversed with customers in German, and did translation work. It was while working at the bank that a major turning point in her life began. She got together with some of her coworkers and sang at the bank’s Christmas party. The bank president was so impressed with Elizabeth’s voice that he arranged and paid for vocal lessons with a renown vocal teacher, Adele Shomeyer. She continued her music training at Brigham Young University (albeit for only one year—1945-1946) where she was the female vocalist for the Provo Men’s Choir.

In August 1941, an event took place in Elizabeth’s life which she always cherished and was forever sacred to her—Elizabeth (age 19) and her parents and all of her siblings made an arduous journey from Milwaukee to Salt Lake City (there were several “bumps” in the road along with way) to be sealed as a family in the Salt Lake City Temple.

Meanwhile, Victor Sokolowsky had found his way to Bremerton, Washington initially to visit a friend, but had run out of money and his friend urged him to stay and look for work in the Bremerton Naval Shipyard. He eventually got on with the shipyard’s fire department which was the beginning of his 31-year career as a fireman. His career was interrupted in 1945 when at the age of 27 Victor decided it would be to his advantage to serve in the military in order to have preference in the fire department afterwards. Rather than be drafted into the Army, he enlisted in the Navy. World War II ended shortly after his joining the Navy and he was honorably discharged on 1 July 1946 while stationed at the Naval Shipyard in Pensacola, Florida.

He stopped in Milwaukee on his way back to Bremerton, and met with an old acquaintance—Elizabeth Jueschke, which was a turning point in both of their lives. Not only did their relationship blossom, but it also prompted Victor to become completely converted to the gospel. Once back in Bremerton, he became a faithful and active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was ordained an Elder. However, Elizabeth still had many suitors in Milwaukee and while at BYU. In fact, on her way out to see Victor in Bremerton in early 1947, she stopped by on the way to see on old “boyfriend,” who proposed to her. Victor’s proposal came a week later. Victor and Elizabeth Jueschke were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 6, 1947. Their seven children were born between 1948 and 1956.

Elizabeth filled her life with service to her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, to her husband and her children, to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and to her fellowman. She served as the Bremerton Stake Relief Society President from 1976-1980. After Victor’s retirement he and Elizabeth first served a two-year mission (1982-1983) as full-time ordinance workers in the Seattle Temple. They next served in the Germany Frankfurt Mission as proselyting and reactivation missionaries (1984-1985), laboring in the Siegen Branch for 16 months. Then they had the privilege of serving a third mission in the Frankfurt Temple (1987-1988). Elizabeth always loved working in the temple in any capacity.

Elizabeth’s life was always filled with music. She was one of the original members of the Puget Soundsters, an adult choral group which has been performing in and around Bremerton since 1952. She was the Soprano Soloist in the Community Handel’s Messiah. Another musical highlight for her was singing in the October 1966 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a member of the Northwest Region Singing Mothers. At the end of her life, she took it upon herself to sing happy birthday to everyone in Bremerton/Manette Ward, her assisted living residence, her friends, as well as her children and grandchildren.

Victor and Elizabeth moved from the home on Fir Avenue in Bremerton to Claremont Senior Living (now Laurel Glen) in Bremerton in January 2012. After Victor’s passing in 2016, Elizabeth continued to live there (unassisted) until her passing. Many referred to her as the “Relief Society President” of Claremont.

Elizabeth is survived by six of her seven children, Ralph (Virginia) Sokolowsky, Orem, Utah; M. Jay (Susan) Skyler, Anthem, Arizona; Ellen (Chuck) Gallagher, Anthem, Arizona; Brian (April) Sokolowsky, Vancouver, Washington; Virginia (Pete) Toolson, Kennewick, Washington; and Mary Ann (Russ) Van Wagenen, Salt Lake City, Utah; 24 grandchildren, 51 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son David (29 December 1986) and her husband, Victor (18 February 2016).

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.miller-woodlawn.com for the Sokolowsky family.