Elsie Rosenberg

Elsie Rosenberg VIRGINIA BEACH - Elsie Church Rosenberg, born April 10, 1914, passed away Sept. 1, 2009. Her residence was in Virginia Beach with her daughter and son-in-law, Maria and Jim Rataiczak. She passed of natural causes at 95 being well cared for at Beacon Shores Nursing Home. She was born in Lake View, S.C. I'm sure her parents, Georgia L. and Charlie M. Church, have been waiting for her. She outlived three husbands and was a single Mom long before that was in style. She supported herself by learning to sew so well that she eventually worked directly with the pattern makers at Gigi Young-Suzie Perette in Manhattan. Her first love after her family was her garden. She built a home in Ocala, Fla., of which she was very proud. Her crowning glory was that she gently raised trees and shrubs for all the new families in the community, so that each family had a start for their garden. She became the president of her garden club and remained president for so long that the National Organization of Garden Clubs made her an honorary lifetime president. She leaves behind two sons, Ibra B. Cooke and Steven D. Cooke, and three daughters, Jeanette W. Griffith, Maria G. Rataiczak, and Barbara Neeb. She also leaves behind many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She leaves her sisters, Estelle Scott, Olive Self, Nell Parnell, Jaxsie Rogers; brothers, Alton Church and Jimmie Church; many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grand-nephews. She will be sorely missed. Memorial services will be held Sept. 13, 2009, at Unity Church of Tidewater, 5580 Shell Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23455 at 1 p.m. Potluck will follow services at the church. Please no flower arrangements. Cut flowers in water from your gardens are preferred and you can plant a tree in her name by going to www.americanforests.org., then press the Donate Now button, go to project and press down arrow, choose "In remembrance," and follow instructions after that. Burial will take place in the church family burial plot in Lake View, S.C., cemetery beside her parents. Cremation Society of Virginia, Hampton Roads office, is assisting the family.