In Loving Memory

Elizabeth Suzie Nisly

April 19, 1921 - July 9, 2008

Today is a sad day, but also a joyous one. My grandma, Elizabeth Nisly, went home to Jesus this evening. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last Thursday and took a quick turn for the worse. She had been sick on and off for the past couple of months and had been diagnosed with many things - ulcers, allergies, colds, flu, depression, etc. Sadly, the real illness wasn't discovered until last week. I saw her on Sunday and she told me she wasn't in any pain, which was such a blessing to know. She was so strong. She couldn't have felt well for a long time, but she was such a fighter. We never knew.

I have so many wonderful memories of my grandma. She was so fun to be around and had a great sense of humor. Grandma had a lot of spunk and always let you know how she felt about something. She loved to play cards and was super competitive. And just a little stubborn, but only when she was right. She had an amazing faith, and I always knew she was praying for me and whatever we were going through. She didn't have an easy life. She watched two of her sons die before their time, and then suffered silently for several years as my grandpa battled the early stages of Alzheimer's. Grandma loved my grandpa deeply and protected him and all of us from the truth about his disease. When she could no longer care for him and had to move him to the nursing home, she would visit him every day and some days he knew her and others he didn't. I read in her journal tonight that after a hard day with him, she wrote "pray for strength." I believe God gave her an extra dose or two for all that she went through.

I will miss my grandma more than I can put into words, and I have more memories than I have the energy to write. It has been a long couple of days and I'm happy that she is no longer suffering, but I miss her so much. I love you Grandma. Thank you for your unconditional love and for your legacy of faith.