Elsa Leisio

PRIOR LAKE, Minn. — Elsa Leisio, 88, passed peacefully Thursday morning, Nov. 6, 2014, at her Keystone Communities home in Prior Lake.

A Celebration of Life service was held Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation in Prior Lake. Pastor Dave Mesaros presided. Pallbearers were Tom Leisio, Wayne Leisio, Tim Leisio, Ed Leisio, Nate Blommel and Lance Musson.

Elsa will be laid to rest on Friday, Nov. 14, at 10:30 a.m., at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Ellwood, Ill.

On Dec. 30, 1925, in Ironwood, Mich., Elsa was born to parents Matt and Lydia (Jokela) Poyhonen. Growing up on the family farm in Ironwood, she was the 12th of 13 children, where she attended school through the ninth grade.

Moving to Chicago with some of her sisters, Elsa loved celebrating her Finnish heritage. They would dress up in Finnish attire and attend functions at the Finnish Community Center. It was there that Elsa met a young man named Albert A. Leisio. Their love flourished and on Oct. 2, 1948, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicago, Elsa and Albert were married.

Settling down on the Northside of Chicago, they were blessed with two sons, Tom and Wayne.

In 1974, Elsa and Albert moved to Buffalo Grove, Ill., due to his job, for about nine years. Upon him retiring, they enjoyed life in Florida for a few years, before moving to East Dundee, Ill. For the next 20-plus years, Elsa made her home there. Life changed for her when Albert passed on Dec. 5, 2004. In 2012, Elsa moved to Prior Lake to be closer to her son, Tom.

Holding various jobs throughout her life, Elsa relished the most being a wife, mother and grandma. While living in East Dundee, she tugged around books and assisted individuals as a page worker for about 10 years at the local library. Elsa truly loved this job and besides, the library was just across the street from where she lived.

Never having a driver’s license certainly did not stop Elsa from seeing the country. She loved to travel. Elsa truly enjoyed sitting in the passenger’s seat of a car and seeing the sights. She did not mind where she went, just as long as they were going somewhere.

Elsa also enjoyed hopping on a bus, traveling to Wisconsin and even trying her luck at the casinos along the way. In later years, she also traveled between her sons by train, from Minnesota to Illinois.

An intelligent, wise and crafty woman, Elsa loved to make jewelry, enjoyed painting and was very precise with her writing. She also took her wealth of knowledge and enjoyed playing Scrabble, completing word games and crossword puzzles. Elsa was incredibly brave through life’s trials and tribulations, but with her strong and determined personality, she enjoyed a simple life to the fullest.

Left to honor Elsa’s life and mourn the death are her sons, Tom (Linda) Leisio, and Wayne (Barbara) Leisio; grandchildren, Diana (Nate) Blommel, Tim Leisio, Emily Leisio, Julie (Lance) Leisio-Musson and Eddie Leisio; great-grandchildren, Nora Blommel, Isaac Blommel, Ella Blommel, Blake Musson and Olivia Musson; and other loving relatives and devoted friends

Preceded in death and there to welcome Elsa home is her husband, Albert; parents, Matt and Lydia; brothers, Werner, Ruben and Uno; sisters, Saima, Hannah, Tyyna, Sylvia, Viola, Gertrude, Esther, Ina and Laina.

Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home and Cremation, Prior Lake Chapel, served the Leisio family.