Elizabeth GILLIAM

Elisabeth cherished family above all else. She was known by loved ones and friends as Mom, Grandma, Omi, Tanta Lisa, Lizzie and of course Betty. She was a hard working, prideful, loving, forgiving, wise soul. She was a gift to all who were able to feel her love and friendship. She was funny. Her humor went all the way to the end. She put others before her at all times. She had an incredible ability to still smile at the toughest times. She lived a morally pure life with a dedication to good values. She was a nightly prayer. She’d sacrifice her own comfort for the benefit of another in an instant. She loved her husband Roy. They had a tremendous life together. Living in Germany, Japan, Maine and Texas with many adventures along the way before and after settling in St. Louis. They loved RVing with friends across the country. They visited Europe many times together. They worked tirelessly alongside each other to achieve their dreams. Their home in Forest Hills was a culmination of those dreams and hard work. They had a wonderful life building that home and improving on it over the years, pouring hard work and passion for family into a home that generated so many special memories for their loved ones. She was next to Roy, sleeves rolled up, ready to go to work. They worked hard during the day then came home and did home projects. Building a cobblestone driveway together was a memory she loved to talk about. Christmas at this home was a core part of her yearly routine. Decorating and creating a truly special experience for her loved ones was worth every daily ache and pain. These were her Golden Days. These were many of her family members' most cherished days. She started knitting blankets 20 years ago and continued until the week she passed for her family members to have when she was gone. Everyone she loved being able to wrap themselves in a blanket she stitched every stitch was something that meant a lot to her. She was gifted the joy of five great grandchildren. The anticipation of their arrivals and watching them grow gave her immeasurable happiness. She loved the FaceTime calls and sharing in their lives. She was a passionate St. Louis sports fan. She watched Cardinal games almost nightly. She loved the live action. The fans. Knowing that it was something a lot of other people cared about. She loved feeling a part of that community. She had an eye for talent and character in the players and managers. She was an active participant when watching. She knew if it was a bad call or bad decision. She once knew a lesser known former player by his batting stance years after he left the Cardinals. She was into it, she cared and loved following the season. She had a similar love for the Blues, especially since her grandchildren played the sport. At the start of each season she loved getting the schedule of games and putting it on her refrigerator. She loved knowing there was a game to look forward to. She loved the American Dream. She lived it. She worked hard and was able to achieve rewards for her hard work. She studied and worried about passing her citizenship test. She took a lot of pride in being an American and invested herself until the end in staying current with news and events so she could be an informed participant. She loved western movies and shows and all things that portrayed a higher ethical standard and moral way of living. She loved the Good Guy. She loved the image of a homestead. Of family working together. Her real dream was to have family surrounding her, everyone working hard and doing good. She loved Hallmark movies and the goodness that’s felt in those shows. She was fortunate to have such good friends throughout her life. In these final years she was able to participate in a community of people through her church, card and game playing groups, and a German club. These relationships were essential to her happiness and daily fulfillment and surely made these final years exceedingly more enjoyable. She loved her friends and was very grateful to have this community of people who saw her for the incredible, loving special gift to this world that she was. She lives on in memory to all those who experienced the gift of truly knowing her. Memorial Service will be held on December 6th, 2023, at 11:00am at St. John’s United Church of Christ 945 Wolfrum Rd. Weldon Spring, Missouri 6330

Elizabeth GILLIAM

April 10, 1931 - November 26, 2023