On the morning of December 11, 2014, our 89 year old Elizabeth peacefully passed away. After a rocky year of falls and broken bones, several hospital visits, a pace maker and general decline, her heart and kidneys finally failed.
We were fortunate that the entire family was able to visit with her during the Thanksgiving holiday and our 71st wedding anniversary, just before her terminal diagnosis. We are blessed that Elizabeth did not endure a long period of suffering. A great team of doctors and attendants kept her last days pain free. She assured her family, neighbors and friends she was ready and anticipating the next step in her journey.
Elizabeth was born in Mattoon, Il on June 10, 1925, to Byrl (Jack) and Cora Stifle who moved to California when she was five. She honed her music talents at schools in Oakland and Vestment College. Even her early teens she was an organist and pianist for several churches around the Bay Area.
Elizabeth married Perry on November 28, 1943. After Perry was discharged from the Navy on Christmas day, 1945, they moved to Hollister, California, to join Perry’s father in the poultry business. While raising Jim and David, she used her musical abilities in churches and the community and pursued fine arts in both painting and needlecraft. Butterflies were always a favorite theme.
After retiring from ranching and a successful direct sales career in 1979, they moved to Grass Valley, Ca. Elizabeth applied her artistic talents in several hobbies and collections. She became well known for her doll costuming that used antique lace and fabrics, earning several awards for dressing prize winning dolls at some of the largest doll shows. When sewing became too difficult for failing eyes and hands, she continued to create by mounting hundreds of artistic displays, using thousands of rare and beautiful buttons.
Additional Comments:
Elizabeth (Stifle) Loofbourrow, beloved wife of Perry Loofbourrow for over 71 years, quietly passed at 6:30 in the morning on December 11th, 2014 – after several days in a coma under specialized care. Elizabeth was emotionally and spiritually ready to leave this world, looking forward to her next Journey. She was a blessing to her family and friends clear to the end – as demonstrated by the heartfelt condolences of the nursing center staff (from doctors to orderlies), medical team and neighbors who helped give care and keep vigil.
Elizabeth (Bettye) Stifle was born in Mattoon, Ill., on June 10, 1925. She moved with her family to Oakland, Ca. in 1928. She attended local elementary schools and graduated from Fremont High School in Oakland in 1943. She then attended Westmont College in Los Angeles.
Elizabeth was involved in music from an early age, learning piano, cello, and later on, the pipe organ. Attending the largest Baptist Church in Oakland, California she was asked to play the piano for Sunday school at 11 or 12 years old, became the pianist for the regular services by 14, and was the substitute and regular organist by 16. She also substituted as organist at other churches in the Oakland area. Her music was a life-long joy.
Elizabeth was a wartime bride, a farm wife and the mother of two sons, Jim and David. Perry and Elizabeth had celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary
Throughout her life she had many interesting jobs. The strangest was roller-skating all day filling mail-order shoes for Montgomery Wards, between graduation and college. She supervised the income tax room for a Hollister accountant friend for a number of years, and formed a business of ready-to-wear doll costumes and designing patterns.
She was an award-winning artist in several medias; including oil, pen and ink, needlecraft and dressing dolls for competition.
