Elizabeth Joan Ohm

1929 - 2020

OHM, Elizabeth Joan



90, of Tucson, passed peacefully on April 30, 2020. She was born July 23, 1929 in Henderson, KY, and spent her childhood there and in Lawrenceville, IL. She later attended Eastern Illinois University before her marriage in 1949. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard M. Ohm; her parents, Ruth and Ted Bozarth and her sister, Billie Bereman. Elizabeth had been in declining health since she sustained a fall in October 2019. Surviving are her children, Rebecca Ohm of Jamaica, VT, Michael Ohm of Tucson, and Julia Ohm of Ashburnham, MA. She is also survived by her six grandchildren, James Finley IV, Anna Spencer, Thomas Spencer, Nicholas Gilman, Sebastian Ohm, and Gemma McClure. She is also survived by one great-grandson, Jackson James Finley.

Elizabeth was devoted to her family and her many close friends all over the globe. She was an independent, adventurous spirit; after her retirement, she traveled and explored the world, visiting every continent except Antarctica. She particularly loved learning about indigenous cultures in Africa and South America. Her wide circle of family and friends were lucky to be able to share in these adventures; her insights and reflections were always valued. After her year-long tour of 13 African countries in 1984, she was in great demand in the Tucson area, sharing her beautiful photos through slide shows with thoughtful commentary to many community groups of which she was a member, including the Optimist Club, Pima County Library, Mensa of Tucson, and many other organizations. She was an avid reader and loved the world of books and ideas; she was always happy to exchange insights and reflections with family and friends.

Elizabeth earned her BA from Illinois College in 1960 and her MS in Library Science from the University of Illinois in 1968, setting a wonderful example at a time when many women faced the challenges of continuing education while tending to family responsibilities. She served the profession in several positions: at the Tucson Public Library, Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois, and as the Director of the Park Forest Public Library in Park Forest, Illinois, where she directed the OH Park Forest Oral History Project, which documented the formative years of that post-WWII planned community. After her retirement from librarianship, Elizabeth worked as a free-lance proofreader and editor for many local and national publishers, using her critical skills as a wordsmith for a variety of publications. She greatly enjoyed hiking and exploring her beloved Arizona; she believed Tucson to be her true home, having settled there permanently in 1984.

Elizabeth will be sorely missed, not least for her abundantly humane and loving insight, but also for her wit, humor and generosity of spirit. She always saw the best in everyone, and the world is richer for her existence. Beyond her pioneering and ambitious spirit, her greatest accomplishment might be the love and admiration for exploration of the planet and wildlife, along with her everlasting curiosity for learning, that she instilled in her children and grandchildren. At her request, there will be no memorial service; the family may plan a celebration of life at a later date, public health conditions permitting. If desired, donations may be made in her name to The Nature Conservancy, The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, or to a local environmental group of choice.