Elouise Lesetta Busswitz age 88 of Westbrook passed away on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at Westbrook Good Samaritan Care Center. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday at Grace Lutheran Church in Westbrook. Visitation will be 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday with a prayer service held at 6:30 p.m. at the Westbrook Funeral Home. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Wednesday. Interment is in the Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Rosehill Township. Email condolences may be sent via www.westbrookfuneral.com. The Westbrook Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Elouise Lesetta Busswitz was born May 18, 1919 on a spring morning in Des Moines Township to August and Bertha (Wenzel) Speckmeier. She was baptized July 20, 1919 and confirmed September 2, 1934 at Grace Lutheran Church, then known as the Evangelical Lutheran Trinity Church. She received her education in District #67 schools in Des Moines Township through the 8th grade. On February 20, 1939, Elouise was united in marriage to Howard Busswitz at Grace Lutheran Church in Westbrook. Together the couple lived on a farm in Des Moines Township until 1974 when they moved to Howard’s fathers home in Westbrook. For many years, Elouise worked on the farm, first helping her father with the farm chores and helping raise her younger siblings as her mother had passed away. She then helped Howard on the farm. After moving to Westbrook, Elouise worked in the meat department at Harold Schmidt’s grocery store. She then worked as a cook at the Schmidt Memorial Hospital, now Sanford Westbrook Medical Center. Howard passed away February 1, 1975 after battling cancer. Elouise remained in her home until August 30, 2005 when she became a resident of the Westbrook Good Samaritan Center, where she remained until her passing. Elouise was a life long member of rural Rosehill Lutheran church, now Grace Lutheran Church in Westbrook where she was active in the church circles and ladies aid. Elouise belonged to the VFW ladies auxiliary and various card clubs. Elouise loved gardening, especially roses. She loved to bake and cook for others and help others any way she could. She especially loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Elouise leaves behind her three children: Roger (Sharyn) Busswitz of Avoca, Gary (Mary Joan) Busswitz of Currie and Nancy (Dick) Burns of Westbrook; 7 grandsons: Todd (Shannon) Busswitz, Stacy Busswitz, Tracy (Rhonda) Busswitz, Jason (Melanie) Busswitz, Cory (Vicky) Busswitz, Shannen Burns, & Nathan (Nicki) Burns; a granddaughter Tina Burns; 12 great grandchildren; sisters: Ruth Anderson of Westbrook & Lorraine Metcalf of Sarasota, FL; brother Lenhart (Shirley) Speckmeier of Dundee; sister in law Irene Speckmeier of Aurora, CO; brother in law Gene Fenstra of Willmar and many nieces and nephews. Elouise is preceded in death by her parents; husband Howard; four brothers: Clarence, Lester, James and Infant Vernon Speckmeier; and two sisters: Betty Fenstra and Irene Glasshoff.