Elizabeth A. Mercer

Elizabeth Ann Johnson Mercer, 90, was born in Detroit, Michigan, June 6, 1926, with twin, Richard, who died from meningitis at age 9 months. She felt his loss her entire life. “Libby” to friends, or “Betty” to family, “Betsy Ann” to her dad, was the daughter of Russel Hugo Johnson and Ann Elizabeth (Taylor) Johnson. In 1973 she was preceded in death by her husband, William Paul Mercer. She grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana, during the depression. She graduated from Wiley High School, where she met her future husband. She attended MacMurray College and Indiana State College. Libby and Bill were married in Terre Haute, Nov 6, 1948, moved to Lafayette, and returned to Terre Haute upon his graduation from Purdue. Their first four children were born there. When Bill became district superintendent for the Indiana Highway department, they moved to their newly built home in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where their fifth child was born. As a mother of five school age children, when trying to get someone's attention, she was often heard calling out the entire list of names, including the dog. Later, as a widow and empty-nester, Libby returned to her childhood home in Terre Haute to care for her aging parents. After her father, then mother, died, Betty carried on the much loved Thanksgiving gatherings in “Grandma’s House”, with the help of everyone in the family, which grew very large over the years. The mayhem, makeshift tables, delicious food, kiddie cocktails (once Grandpa’s specialty), laughter, serious debates, sharing memories, football in the large yard, jumping off the side of the porch, photos on the stair steps, were always topped off with whipped cream on the pumpkin pie in honor of Grandpa. Thankfully, the torch has been taken up by Nils' wife, Lois, in her home. Elizabeth was dedicated to her Lord and her church, St. John's Episcopal Church in Crawfordsville, then St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, in Terre Haute. She and a fellow parishioner served communion to the home-bound every week. She was a proud “Avon Lady”. She was a talented artist, working mostly in watercolors. She designed and tailored beautiful clothes for several appreciative clients for many years. She enjoyed gardening, and her pets. She loved decorating and re-decorating so much that her children were convinced the rooms were shrinking due to so many layers of paint on the walls. She loved going for long walks around the "stadium" or in the woods. She wore out many pairs of shoes, even in the nursing home. She even tried to get up and walk in her very last days. Her son-in-law, Brad Cowan, had a vision of "Mom" in heaven being offered her wings, to which she replied, "No, thank you, I'll walk." A strong and independent woman, she functioned alone for many years after the first signs of Alzheimer’s began to show. She succumbed in Crawfordsville to the disease after a 17 year battle. The family would like to thank all the wonderful, kind, caregivers who supported her through her final years. A special thank you, offered in love and gratitude by the rest of the family, goes to her eldest son, Paul Mercer. He was her rock, her hero, her north star, her champion, throughout her long struggle. Elizabeth Mercer was the sister of Nancy Johnson Smith of Terre Haute, sister in-law of Lois Johnson of Terre Haute, and was preceded in death by her brothers, Nils and Peter Johnson, and Pete's wife, Dora Lee, and Nancy's husband, Cecil Smith, also of Terre Haute. Elizabeth was (always will be) the mother of Lynn Mercer Michaud, married to Michael Michaud of Marblehead, Massachusetts, Paul Mercer, married to Joyce Miller Mercer of Crawfordsville, Indiana, Karen Mercer Cowan, married to Brad Cowan of Cleburne Texas, Dean Mercer, married to Rhonda Mercer of Crawfordsville, Indiana, and Tony Mercer of Lafayette, Indiana. She was the grandmother of Annie HughesLee, Molly Hughes Shively, Claire Michaud, John Mercer, Joey Cowan, Katie Cowan, Tyler Mercer, Christian Mercer, Sara Cooksey, Alan Cooksey, Danielle Mercer Smith and Parker Mercer. She was great grandmother to Carter, Caleb, Dylan, Desi, Kayson, Kiya, Judah, and Liam. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. and a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 215 North Seventh Street, Terre Haute, Indiana. Burial will be at Roselawn Cemetery. All attending the funeral service are invited to join the procession to Roselawn and gather with us for a reception there after the brief committal service.