Elizabeth Margaret Zurschmiede

Elizabeth M. Zurschmiede 81, passed away Wednesday February 14th 6:30 pm at The Hospitals of Providence in El Paso, Texas with her family by her side. Born January 21, 1943, in Brooklyn, NY, she was the eldest daughter to George Diano and Lena (DeMarco) Diano.

It was in Brooklyn, NY she developed a passion for playing the piano, singing and even performing at wedding services. She relocated to San Diego, California with her family and graduated from Cathedral Girls High School in 1960. She attended business school for a time and also worked in the ladies fashion department at the May Company.

Elizabeth met the love of her life, Marvin, in San Diego on a blind date and they were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on November 4, 1962 once he was honorably discharged from the Navy. She was a loving wife and soon became a loving mother to her first born Matthew and Kristine her daughter followed the year after.

The family relocated from California to Germany in support of Marvin’s job and this is where Elizabeth was able to learn the German culture and even how to drive a stick shift. She was never able to master cooking rabbit.

She returned to California with her family and had her 3rd child, Mark. She became good friends with her neighbors and enjoyed spending time playing cards, bowling and sewing as well as being a team mother for Matthew’s Tee ball team.

Family was her first priority. They were either visiting her or she was visiting them.

Her life took her to many different states Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, back to California, Oregon, Alaska and Texas. It was during these years she worked mostly in bookkeeping and accounting for several different companies and also taking care of the children and the household.

She and Marvin retired and relocated to a lake house on Pecks Lake in New York. It was there she able to spend time with her two aunts Sadie and Marge, the Perry family and her grandsons Joshua and Dylan. Many memories were made there taking rides in the pontoon boat, watching her grandsons sporting events, attending their graduations, having family BBQs and just relaxing on the deck listening to music and enjoying her dog, Bentley. She made many dear friends at Pecks Lake and kept in touch when she and Marvin eventually relocated to Portland Oregon.

She was ecstatic to become a grandmother once again to her only granddaughter, Cameryn. It was pure enjoyment for her to be caring for her granddaughter for the first year and a half of her life and having family time with Mark and Jeanette while living in Oregon.

She returned to El Paso with Marvin and she spent the rest of her retirement years entertaining out of town family, having overnights with her granddaughter which entailed watching movies, working on puzzles, shopping and cooking. She enjoyed many days just sitting on her patio, looking out at the Franklin Mountains and playing with her dog Cisco.

Her presence will be missed by all, especially her beautiful smile, her eagerness to explore new recipes, playing the organ, her passion for elephant collecting and her undying devotion to her husband and family. Her memory will live on in our hearts forever.

She is survived by her husband, Marvin, her children Matthew (Louise), Kristine (Scott) and Mark (Jeanette), her grandchildren Joshua, Dylan and Cameryn, her siblings Mary Ann, Frank (Carol) and Teri (Jim), her Aunt Marge and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Liturgy of the Word Service will be Friday, April 19, 2024 at 1 p.m. at Evergreen Funeral Home, 12400 E. Montana Ave.