Elsie Augusta Osborne

Elsie was born on Dec. 3, 1923, in Duisburg, Germany, the daughter of Alexsander and Martha (Lieby) Schaefer. The family immigrated to Peoria in 1926 on a Red Star Line ship out of Antwerp at the invitation of Alexsander’s brother, Herman.

Elsie graduated from Loucks Elementary School and then Peoria High School (formerly Central High School) in 1941. She was a member of PHS’s secretarial club and was valedictorian.

She met her high-school sweetheart, Bill Osborne, while skating at Glen Oak Park. The two married on Sept. 19, 1943, at Glen Oak Christian Church in Peoria. They were married for 77 years.

Elsie attended Redeemer Lutheran Church and was involved in many activities for her two sons, Billy and Jay, including being a den mother for Cub Scouts.

She also was an accomplished career woman at a time when fewer women worked outside the home. She began as a secretary at First National Bank (now Commerce Bank) downtown. Elsie worked her way up to become one of the first female banking executives in town, retiring in the early 1980s as executive vice president at the bank. She enjoyed getting to know customers and helping them with their banking.

Elsie and Bill traveled extensively in retirement, visiting every continent except for Antarctica. She was excellent at sewing and pinochle. Her dedication to her friends and family knew no bounds, as she helped raise her three granddaughters after the passing of her daughter-in-law, Susan Osborne. She will be very much missed, as she left an indelible imprint on so many hearts.

Elsie is survived by one son, Jay (Jayne) Osborne of Coal Valley; three granddaughters and a step-granddaughter, Heather (Josh) Loftus of The Woodlands, TX, Lindsay (Brian) Stauss of Scottsdale, AZ, Malinda (Will) Larkin of Elk Grove Village, IL, and Ashley (Kyle) Lopatin of Chicago; and six great-grandchildren, Riley and Kalin Loftus, Joy and Kelsey Stauss, and Ella and James Larkin. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Martha Humphrey; husband, Bill; and son, William "Billy" (Lucinda) Osborne Jr. of Salmon, ID.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff of Liberty Village in Peoria for their compassionate and loving care for Elsie these past seven years.

Private graveside services to celebrate Elsie’s life will be held at a later date at Swan Lake Memory Gardens in Peoria.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.woolsey-wilton.com.