Elsie Mae Gherasim

Heaven gained another angel with the passing of Elsie Mae Gherasim. On Saturday, October 29, 2022, Elsie gained her wings and is now in the loving arms of our Lord.

Elsie Mae Sandberg was born October 8, 1934, in Flushing, Michigan, to Ella Rose Bailey and Gosta Edward Sandberg. She married George Gherasim on June 5, 1953, until his death on May 30, 2004. They were married for 50 years.

Elsie started her long working career as a young woman working in diners. She soon realized that she had a love of fashion and started her career in retail clothing. She worked in downtown Detroit, at some of the biggest retail stores. J.L. Hudson’s, Jacobson’s and Crowley’s. She finished her career in retail at B. Siegel, as an assistant buyer. Those that met her, know that she was somewhat of a “fashionista”. She dressed impeccably, with matching shoes and handbags. She even made casual look elegant!

She realized that she had a passion for helping other people, which led to her becoming a nurse’s aide at Oakwood Hospital. In Dearborn, Michigan. She worked there for many years and was beloved by so many of her patients. When she later moved from Detroit to Rockwood, Michigan, she became an aide again-this time at Seaway Hospital (Beaumont Southshore), in the nursery on the maternity ward. This was her dream job. She loved the babies and nobody could swaddle a baby like she could! After she retired from Seaway Hospital, she found a job working at a doctor’s office in Woodhaven, MI. She worked there for several years and after she left, she ended her working career with a job at Hallmark in Woodhaven. She left there in 2003, to become the primary caregiver of her husband, due to his ill health.

Throughout her later years, she battled several serious health issues, but that never stood in her way of working and being an independent woman. She always went with the flow and just persevered through her life without complaint. She will be forever known as a strong woman of faith and made God and prayer a center of her life. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She had a unique way of making people feel special-it was her own special magic.

She will also be remembered for the simple joys she embraced in life. Her special love of animals, especially her last two cats, Dukey and Buddy. Shopping, reading Nicolas Sparks novels, old movies, birds and butterflies. She loved taking drives and listening to the music of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day and Michael Buble’. Every year going out to see the fall colors was a big highlight of her year and she was able to enjoy one more ride to see the colors before she passed away. In some ways, it was very fitting to be born in October and to leave this earth in October. Her last memories will be of a beautiful, colorful day.

Elsie was preceded in death by her mother and father, her in-laws, Lazar and Helen Gherasim,her half-brothers, Aaron and Eric Sandberg, half-sister Nancy Sandberg her brother and sister in-law, Dan and Violet Armean and her husband George. She leaves behind her loving family, daughters, Diana (Michael) Masserant, Patricia (Richard) LeBlanc, and son, Daniel L. Gherasim. She had five grandchildren, Julie (Thomas) Plut, Laurie (Bryan) Kessler, Neil (Constance) Masserant, Kellie (Anthony) Long and Danielle LeBlanc. She had eight great-grandchildren, Owen, Olivia and Jack Plut, Grant, Ian and Madeline Kessler, Vivienne Masserant and Michael Long. Also, a half-sister, Peral Jean Fults. Her family was her greatest love and her gentle spirit, loving personality and commitment to those around her will be sorely missed and deeply cherished by anyone who knew her.

For those that want to pay their respects and honor her life, there will be a memorial gathering at the Martenson Family of Funeral Homes-Ford Chapel on November 15, 2022, from 4-7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to be sent to the Hospice Foundation of America at : donate@hospicefoundation.org or Hospice Foundation of America, 1707 L Street NW, Suite 220, Washington, DC 20036, in memory of Elsie Gherasim.