Elsie Green

Elsie Green was born to a carpenter and seamstress in Berwyn, Illinois on February 20th, 1923. Family was always very important to her, as she lost both her parents at a young age and was raised by her older sister, Libby. They lived a very humble life and grew up with strong roots from their Czechoslovakian heritage. Although she always had dreams of becoming a teacher, after graduating from Morton High School in 1941 she worked as a telephone operator and a bookkeeper. When she was not working, her favorite pastime was dancing, which was how she met her husband, George. After meeting at the Valentine's Day Dance in 1949, they were married four months later on July 23rd. With their love, they raised an ambitious and kind-hearted daughter, Robin, who is now a school nurse for the Fremont Unified School District. Elsie was always so proud of her daughter's accomplishments, and continuously supported her with strength and encouragement. In appreciation for all of Elsie's support, Robin participated in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk to celebrate Elsie's 40th year as a breast cancer survivor. Above all else, Elsie's passions were volunteering, gardening, and baking. She volunteered for Washington Hospital sewing bonnets and puppets for newborns. Her backyard garden was a sight to see, with bright pink and red roses and fresh homegrown tomatoes. She was truly gifted in the kitchen, where she baked the most delicious brownies, cookies, houska, and kolacky. She was most famous for her homemade gingerbread houses, that her granddaughters would decorate every Christmas. Elsie was survived by her daughter, Robin Tsoi; her grandchildren, Amanda Tsoi, Stephanie Tsoi, and Melanie Tsoi; her nephew Ronald Zettek; and niece Darlene Mueller.