Elsie Lansdown

Services for Elsie Lansdown will be private. Elsie Lansdown, beloved wife, mother, and sister, died peacefully on Saturday, September 25, 2010 at Hospice House in Mountain Home, AR. Elsie was born in Rantoul, IL to Robert and Winifred (Worthey) Cox in 1930. She married Leonard Mertz in 1948 in Charleston, IL. Elsie and Leonard had three daughters, Linda Nolan Duffy (John) of Gilbert, AZ, Carolyn Moody of Bull Shoals, AR, and Gayla Peterson (Rick) of Louisburg, MO. She married Ira Lansdown in Flippin, AR in 1979. Elsie was known for her kind heart, great sense of humor, and quick wit. She especially enjoyed traveling with her daughters. She loved to crochet and was constantly surveying family members to find out if any crocheted items (hats, doilies, tea towels, etc.) were needed. She also enjoyed reading, cooking, doing word puzzles and spending time with her family. Elsie loved music and her daughters remember the house being filled with beautiful music from the record player and radio when they were growing up. She was very creative and made most of her daughters? clothes and costumes. She didn?t like to follow patterns; the clothes her girls wore to school are fondly remembered as being unique. She also liked to put her own spin on recipes which resulted in some very memorable outcomes. She was a wonderful wife and mother and will be deeply missed. She worked at Baxter Laboratories for 25 years before retiring in 1991. Elsie and Ira sold their farm in the Promise Land area and moved to Bull Shoals, AR in the early 1990?s. In addition to her beloved husband, Ira, and her daughters, she is survived by her sisters, Anita Looney of Rock Hill, SC, Susie Hall of Janesville, IL, her brother, Ralph Cox (Diane) of Ashmore, IL, stepdaughters Barbara McCutcheon (Luell) of Flippin, AR , Norma Swan (John) of St. Louis, MO , stepsons Clifford Lansdown (Joyce)of Clarkridge, AR , and Charles Lansdown (Carrie) of Prague, OK ,and her precious dog, Katie. Elsie leaves three grandchildren, Michael Nolan, Jr. (Xingli Zhang) of Phoenix, AZ, Kerrie Englund (Gerald) of Neosho, MO, and Victor Hopper (Aja) of Springfield, MO, and several step grandchildren and great grandchildren. Elsie will be particularly missed by her step grandson, Shannon Moody (Julie) of Jordan, AR. Elsie was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Barbara Cox Davis, brother, Robert Cox, and a stepdaughter, Doris Lansdown Johnson. The family wishes to thank CARTI, Hospice of the Ozarks, and Hospice House for their outstanding support during Elsie?s illness. We also want to sincerely thank the friends and neighbors who helped out in so many ways. We were so touched by the acts of kindness during this stressful time. Burial will be private and there will be no service according to Elsie?s wishes. Memorials may be made to Hospice House of the Ozarks at 774 Long Street, Mountain Home, AR 72653. Arrangements are by Kirby & Family Funeral and Cremation Services. Visit an online obituary and guestbook at www.kirbyandfamily.com .