Elsa Anna North

She is preceded in death by her father, Johann Hedemann, mother, Emmy (Eilert) Hedemann, sister, Marga Hedemann and husband, William (Bill) C. North.

She is survived by her daughter Andrea Lamarsaude (Christophe) and granddaughter Emilie and loved them very much. She was very proud of Emilie, who is about to graduate high school with honors from Fusion Academy Dallas and will attend Austin College starting in the fall.

Elsa was born on January 2, 1928, in Bremerhaven, Germany, a beautiful seaside city on the North Sea Coast. Growing up she and her family were very close and lived through World War II. Elsa graduated high school in Bremerhaven and took immersion lessons in English, becoming fluent in the language.

She met her husband Bill when he was stationed in Bremerhaven after the war. They met at the American Army Library where Elsa worked. Bill was returning an overdue book that Elsa had sent him many notices about. To try and make amends he asked her out and sparks flew! They dated and were then married in Bremerhaven and then moved to the United States, living in Los Alamos, New Mexico, before moving to Dallas.

When she first moved to Dallas, Elsa worked at the original Central Dallas Public Library located on the corner of Commerce and Harwood Streets. The family later moved to Falls Church, Virginia, where Elsa worked in the Woodrow Wilson Public Library. They moved backed to Dallas where Elsa began working for Neiman Marcus in NorthPark Center. She started out in Sales in the Epicure department and was soon promoted to Epicure Manager. Elsa retired from Neiman Marcus in 1986.

Elsa was an avid soccer (football) fan! She played while growing up in Bremerhaven and coached an elementary school kids’ soccer league in Dallas. Elsa was very proud and honored to have served as a volunteer translator for the 1994 FIFA World Cup when it came to the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, one of nine cities across the United States where the games were played. When Andrea was lived in Paris, Elsa came to visit her during the 1998 FIFA World Cup being held in France. France beat Brazil 3-0 to take their first World Cup title. Andrea and Elsa took part in the amazing celebration that was held on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées!

Elsa was a longtime volunteer for the Dallas County Democratic Party and the Hoffman Family Gift Store at the Dallas Arboretum.

Elsa loved to paint seascape scenes and florals with oil paints. Elsa and Bill enjoyed holding neighborhood block parties with friends and were active in a bowling league while Andrea was growing up.

Elsa loved her family and friends and was a constant source of strength and support to all of them. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother.

She loved animals and over her lifetime gave much love and affection to four dogs and four cats as well as Andrea’s family pets.

A Celebration of Life Memorial service, and reception immediately following, will be held Thursday, May 23nd at noon in the Chapel at Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, 7405 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas 75225. A private family memorial will also take place in Elsa’s hometown of Bremerhaven, Germany, in late May.

In honor of her love for animals, Elsa’s family has requested memorial contributions be made to the SPCA of Texas (www.spca.org/memorialgiving) where Emilie has volunteered.