Elsie Elsie Barinek Linka Neher

Elsie Linka Neher (nee Barinek), 79, of Lisle, Illinois, beloved wife of the late Milton Linka, and the late George Neher; loving mother of Robert Linka and Judith Vaughan; mother-in-law to Catherine Linka and Allen Vaughan and proud Grandmother of Maxwell and Haven Linka, and Benjamin Vaughan; sister of Robert Barinek; sister-in-law to Vera Linka Hahlbeck.

Funeral Saturday, 10:00 AM, from the Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, 5015 Lincoln Ave., Lisle, IL, (half mile S. of Ogden Ave. / Rt 34). Visitation Friday, 3 to 8 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society.

For additional information, call 630-964-9392.

BIOGRAPHY

Elsie Linka Neher was a person who really cared about her friends and family. She was warm hearted and a well-liked individual. These traits came easily to her because she was such an outgoing person who truly enjoyed people, both in a business and social setting. She tried to help her friends and family whenever she could.

Elsie was the daughter of Frank and Elizabeth Barinek and had one younger brother, Robert. She was born in Phillips, Wisconsin, but raised primarily in Chicago, Illinois. Elsie was an obedient and respectful child who wanted to win the favor of others. She did this by working extremely hard in school where she excelled. This taught her the value of hard work and determination. She did not have a lot of friends when she was young, but she was respected by her peers. She was sympathetic to others in need, and tried to perform acts of kindness to others. These admirable qualities would become a part of Elsie's personality throughout her life.

One thing Elsie will certainly be remembered for is that, when she got up in the morning, she was always ready and raring to go. As a young girl, Elsie had a number of interests and was a active child. She did not participate in many sports, but she did participate in grade school softball as a pitcher. In her spare time she liked to read, draw, and sew. Elsie's most memorable achievements as a child included being an honor student in her high school.

For Elsie, school was never a problem even though she worked very hard at her studies. She was also one of those people who paid attention to the details. She was very observant and was generally quick at picking up new things. She graduated from Harrison High School, in Chicago, Illinois in 1949. Her favorite class in high school was Art. This creativity, as evidenced for her love of art class, would be reflected throughout the things she did the rest of her life. Elsie was named one of the "10 Outstanding Students" of her graduating class.

Many parents in the 1940’s felt that it would be more responsible for a young woman to get a job than to pursue higher education. Elsie did not go to college; she did take some classes after high school at the Art Institute of Chicago. Even in her later years, she always talked fondly of her drawing classes at the Art Institute. She started working as a page in her senior year of high school for 1st National Bank of Chicago. Elsie started working there full time after high school, and started taking night classes at the Herzel Business College to supplement her high school education.

Elsie met her first husband Milton, while going out dancing with friends at the Melody Mill Ballroom in North Riverside. A year later they were married on October 3, 1953, at Warner Park Presbyterian Church, in Cicero, Illinois. They were married for 30 years until Milton's death in 1984. They loved each other deeply and were blessed with two children; one son, Robert and one daughter, Judith. Elsie was also later blessed with three grandchildren, Maxwell, Haven and Benjamin.

As a married couple they were united in their goals of hard work, family, and saving for the future. They became owners of a small retail store when they purchased the business that Milton’s father had started. The business was called “Linka’s Stationary and Sporting Goods”, and was located at 3918 West 26th Street in the Little Village area of Chicago. Milton worked there every day and Elsie would join him 2 to 3 days a week. One of her favorite expressions to her children was, “the harder I work, the luckier I get.” Her other time was spent taking care of her children and managing the household. She was always active and highly valued by those in her immediate community; Elsie served as a Brownie Troop Leader and Boy's Scout Troop Leader.

Elsie was a faithful and loving person, who was also very sentimental and romantic at heart. She loved musicals, such as The Sound of Music, Camelot, Carousel, My Fair Lady, and Gigi. She would often play them in the background as she worked around the house. She also loved going to the movies, which was something she had always enjoyed since childhood. She made sure that every few months the whole family would go out to one of the old large movie theaters in downtown Chicago. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Western Springs for 10 years, and she and Milton hosted many parties at their home and hosted the church youth group.

Elsie semi-retired in 1980 when she and Milton sold the family retail business. She then took on new jobs such as Real Estate Broker and Furniture Salesperson. In retirement, she found new pleasure in gardening, baking and cooking. Even in retirement, Elsie stayed in touch with her old friends and made plenty of new acquaintances.

She moved to Lisle, IL in 1987. Since it was easy for Elsie to meet and get to know new people, she quickly made friends, even in retirement. Once she met those new friends, she loved sharing stories and talking about the good old days. One of those friends, who Elsie met in a flower arranging class at the Lisle Community Center, introduced her to a single friend of hers. It was through this friend that Elsie met George Neher. They started dating and were married on February 25, 1989. They were married for 20 years when George passed away in 2009.

She and George had a wonderful life of love and companionship. She would accompany George to the Country House in Lisle, IL, where George would sit at the bar and play Jeopardy while Elsie would talk to their friends. They spent most of their time at home or with friends, but did occasionally travel. Elsie really enjoyed traveling and seeing new places. Her favorite vacations included Czechoslovakia, Greece and an Alaskan cruise.

After George’s death, Elsie relied on her friends even more. Seeing her grandchildren and her friends were the things she truly lived for. When Elsie made friends, she made true and lasting friendships. Some of her best friends while growing up were Carol Werner and Margie Butz. Some of her longest and dearest friends were with, Joyce Bily, Carl and Toni Milazzo, Judy and Carl Doerr, Joan Vavra, and Neva Nelson. She gained new friendships through her second husband and his friends, such as Georgia Render. Some of her closest friends and fondest memories were when she accompanied George to the Country House and was able to talk with Tim, Georgia, Heidi, Joe, John, Marc, Bob, and many others who got together there after work.

Elsie passed away on January 16, 2011 at her home in Lisle, Illinois, after fighting a brave battle against Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. There was one thing that all of Elsie's friends will remember, and that is that she was a talker. She was a spirited conversationalist who would engage just about anyone in a discussion. She cared deeply for her family and friends. Elsie was a down to earth person, hardworking, and had a quiet spirituality. She was without question the type of person who enjoyed people.

Elsie loved her family and friends more than anything. Everyone whose life she touched will miss Elsie Linka Neher.