Lillian Hattie Elsing was born August 19, 1919, to George & Ella (Brass) Elsing, on their Family Farm, Larkin Twp, Nobles County, near Rushmore, Minnesota.
Lillian attended rural country school and loved growing up on the family farm with her eight siblings. For grades 1-8, she and her sisters and brothers drove a horse-drawn buggy her dad had made, to a rural one room country school house. Lillian attended high school in Wilmont. During adolescent years, she was active in 4-H, winning many prizes at the county fair for her baking, canning & sewing. She was an early winner of the National 4H Awards Program, sponsored by Electrolux, and came in 2nd in the State of Minnesota Spelling Bee Contest.
Lillian’s youthful passion was caring for others & nursing. Lacking funds for a formal education, she ambitiously pursued further knowledge via the Chicago School of Nursing, Home Study Program. She loved the work, and completed her studies with honors. However, lacking funds to travel to Chicago for final certification, she put her practical knowledge to work immediately, attending to mothers & new borns in their homes. She also worked for families as hired help.
Lillian married Leonard A. Nebelsick on December 2, 1942. Their first home was in Worthington, MN. They soon moved to Sibley, Iowa, where they raised their four children, Audrey Lavonne, Arnold Lyle, Ardyce Lillian & Aletha Lois. Lillian was active in The First Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, Bible School & Catechism. She enjoyed contributing her baked goods, working in the kitchen, & serving, for many church activities & events. To earn extra money, Lillian took in ironing, sold Avon, and for 3 years she candled eggs at the Sibley Egg & Poultry.
Lillian was involved in volunteering in the Sibley community & at school. She was a Grade School Room Mother, a Band Mother Officer, and a Girl Scout Leader. She started a program to educate young women regarding first aid & hygiene that lasted 9 years. She found space in the Legion Building in Sibley, and sometimes held sessions in the park, because she loved being outdoors. If those spaces weren’t available, or it was cold or raining, she’d host the girls in her home, not wanting to miss a session. Lillian was involved in the Sibley Hospital Auxiliary, & she was very proud to remain one of the longest standing Corporate Members of the Osceola Community Hospital until her death. Lillian completed her American Red Cross Certification for Advanced Aid to the Injured in 1973. For 26 years, she volunteered numerous hours both in Iowa & Minnesota, during blood drives & Red Cross volunteer activities. For her numerous hours of service, dedication & training others, Lillian was awarded a trip to the National Red Cross Convention in Florida, but because of other duties at home & in the community, Lillian always regretted she was unable to make that trip. Being civic minded, Lillian was known to voice her opinions by writing letters to the editors of local newspapers to make certain her ideas were expressed & heard. One particular favorite dealt with where the new Worthington Fire Station should be. She wrote that one when she was 90, & the fire station ended up where she suggested!
Lillian loved parades, picnics, birthdays, and entertaining. She loved springtime, April showers, rainbows, the birds, dew on the grass, and flowers. Her favorite holiday was Easter. She sang and danced around the house, made her girls dresses, starched their petticoats & painted their fingernails. She encouraged playing in the rain, hunting night crawlers for fishing, making mud pies, and dress-up. She never minded when her girls tip-toed around in her new high-heels, or her son ate an entire pan of her delicious fresh-baked cinnamon rolls with butter-sugar frosting.
Besides volunteering & sharing her baked goods with friends & those less fortunate, Lillian enjoyed gardening, embroidery work & quilting. She was known as the “flower-lady” and shared vases of flowers with nursing home residents every summer. She canned vegetables from her own garden; corn & fruit from local farmers. Quilting was Lillian’s favorite hobby. She made 256 quilts, and gave all away but two. She donated quilts to many places: Some went to missions in Guatemala, Africa, & remote locations in Alaska. Others to local nursing homes, a children’s home in Dubuque, IA, a boy’s ranch in Texas, an Indian reservation in South Dakota, & various charities in Northern Minnesota, Nebraska & Illinois. She sent some with care packages overseas to comfort soldiers away from home. Her hand embroidered prize quilt of every state bird, remains with her family.
In 1980, Lillian married Roland Frey. They moved to Worthington in 1981, where Lillian quickly became involved in Bible Study and as a Lesson Leader. She volunteered with RSVP, (Retired Senior Volunteer Program), Pioneer Village, the Church Bread Bank, continued volunteering for the Red Cross, and sharing her baked goods & flowers with nursing homes & shut-ins. Lillian enjoyed bus trips to Bronson & St. Louis, MO, Nashville, TN, and getting on an airplane to visit her children in Washington, Illinois & Michigan. Her trip to Mackinaw Island was a favorite!
Lillian is survived by her children: Audrey Rice (Glenn), Yakima WA, Arnold Nebelsick, Naperville, IL, Ardyce Conley (Jim), Huntington Woods, MI, & Aletha Nebelsick. Her grandchildren: Sharen Peterson (Brad), Vancouver, WA, & Nathan Adair. Her Step Grandchildren: Renee Berger (Tracy), Yakima, WA. Her Great Grand Child: Samantha Adair. Her Step Great Grand Child: Courtney Berger (Yakima, WA).
Lillian was preceded in death by her parents, George & Ella (Brass) Elsing, first husband, Leonard A. Nebelsick, her second husband, Roland Frey, her eight siblings, Minnie Ebeling, Amanda Elsing, Jeanette Bunger, Willie Elsing, Ellene Funk, John Elsing, Phyllis Rabenberg, & Geraldine Wagner. Her beloved daughter-in-law, Melissa Bastian Nebelsick, passed to eternal life on January 15, 2016.
She is survived, and preceded in death, by many dear relatives of the Elsing, Nebelsick, and Frey families. Many surviving family members and friends offered selfless loving support and care throughout her lifetime; especially during the later years of her life. Her children wish to thank all who visited, sent letters and cards, attended birthdays, and offered constant prayer. A special thank you to Ellen Schram, Lillian’s niece, whose gentle caring spirit provided local love and support for many years. Please accept our heartfelt gratitude.
Lillian passed peacefully into eternal life on November 25, 2015, at Country View Manor, Sibley, IA. Her favorite season was spring, the season of renewal and new life. Services will be on April 9, 2016, 10AM family gathering, 11:00AM services, at Jurrens Funeral Home, 505 9th Street, Sibley, IA. Her cremated remains will be interred at the Holman Cemetery, Sibley, following the service.
In lieu of flowers, In-Memoriam donations may be sent to The First Presbyterian Memorial Fund. Please designate: Church Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner Fund, and mail to: The First Presbyterian Church, 601 Sixth Avenue, Sibley, Iowa 51249.
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