Obituaries & Condolences

Elsie Annette Grabin Wilson, 91, of Oxford died Thursday, April 19, 2012, at Lantern Park Care Center in Coralville.

Funeral Mass will be held at 10am, Monday, April 23rd at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oxford with Father Edmond Dunn officiating. Burial will in the Grabin Cemetery, rural Oxford. Visitation will be Sunday from 4 to 6pm at St. Mary’s Church, where a Vigil Service will be held at 6pm. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice.

Elsie was born October 31, 1920, in Johnson County, the daughter of Frank “Scout” and Elizabeth Erusha Grabin. She was a graduate of Oxford High School and Capitol City Commercial College in Des Moines. Elsie proudly served her country in the US Army Women’s Air Corp, in Santa Ana, California, from 1943-45.

Elsie lived in Cedar Rapids and was employed as office manager and bookkeeper at Welty-Way Products in Cedar Rapids for 29 years, retiring in 1979. On November 11, 1977, Elsie married Joseph B. Wilson, in Iowa City, and they resided north of Oxford for 26 years.

Elsie had a strong faith in her Savior and was a devout member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She loved to take long walks and enjoyed dancing, especially to the waltzes and polkas. She traveled extensively in the United States and to many countries abroad. Elsie took every opportunity she could to spend time with her parents and sister and her brothers and their families. She was an attentive and loving aunt to her nieces and nephews, and took them on many trips with her. Elsie’s cheerful, humorous, good nature, and optimistic spirit will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Elsie is survived by her brother Ray (Dorothy) Grabin of Oxford and her sister Betty Mae Grabin of Coralville; seven nieces and nephews, Gayle Stratton, Debbie (Dean) Lefebure, Sue-Ellen (Brian) Sherman, Sam (Sammy) Grabin, Lee (Rozella) Grabin, Joel (Joan) Grabin and Jamie (Barb) Grabin; two sisters-in-law, and extended family.
Elsie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband in 1993, and two brothers, Bill and Vince.