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Elsie Lister
Orb
5/22/1939 - 4/6/2022 Ann Arbor, MI Elsie Phillips Lister Orb,
beloved
mother,
grandmother,
and friend,
died
Wednesday,
April 6,
2022.
She was 82
years old. A
lifelong
educator,
who loved to
teach and
learn with
others,
Elsie grew
up in
upstate New
York, and
attended
Rochester
University
where she
received a
Bachelor of
Arts in
Non-Western
 Civilization,
and Yale
University
where she
received a
Master of
Arts in East
Asian
Studies and
received
all-but-dissertation
in a PhD
program in
Chinese
History. She
enjoyed a
teaching
career at
Hobart and
William
Smith
College and
Keuka
College. In
1972, she
moved to Ann
Arbor,
Michigan,
where she
spent the
remainder of
her career
in higher
education as
an
administrator
for the
Center for
Japanese
Studies, the
Business and
Industrial
Assistance
Division,
and the
Business
School. She
retired in
2004.
During her
second
career,
Elsie
continued to
make
contributions
to
organizations
that she
fiercely
supported -
causes dear
to her heart
and soul.
She
supported
curriculum
planning and
attended
many classes
at Elderwise,
a nonprofit,
independent,
lifelong
learning
organization
dedicated to
offering
continuing
education to
learners of
all ages.
She
volunteered
for the
Friends of
the Ann
Arbor
District
Library,
where she
was in
charge of
the history
section for
donated
books.
She also
spent many
hours
volunteering
for the
Huron River
Watershed
Council. Her
volunteer
time was
aligned with
her passions
for reading,
education,
and the
environment.
These
organizations
are where
she
developed
many
treasured
friendships.
When Elsie
worked,
whether pre-
or
post-retirement,
she worked.
Her work
ethic and
commitment
were
limitless
and
uncompromising.
Beyond
volunteering,
Elsie had a
passion for
baseball and
the Detroit
Tigers (and
Chicago
Cubs),
British
series
programming,
birdwatching,
and
knitting. We
often joked
that giving
her access
to Netflix
would be the
end of
everything
else, yet
true to
form, she
folded that
in and added
it to the
list. She
maintained
an
insatiable
appetite for
learning and
even
"mindless
entertainment
content."
She often
commented on
Longmire as
one of her
favorite
distractions.
Most
important
was her
commitment
to and love
of her
family. She
was the rock
to her two
kids, Alan
Orb and
Alena (Orb)
Stocking.
She was
fortunate to
gain two
additional
children as
her kids
married,
welcoming
Ray Stocking
and Katarina
Pantelic-Orb
into her
fold. Then
came
grandchildren,
Shannon,
Christopher,
Aleksandra,
and Austin,
where her
passion for
education
benefited
those
closest to
her. Time
with G'ma
included
games such
as
Bananagrams,
book
reading, and
back-to-school
shopping.
She was
quick to
direct word
questions to
the physical
dictionary
(not your
phone!), and
was honest
and open
with
feedback and
unwavering
support (and
some firm
but gentle
discipline).
Elsie passed
quickly
after a
diagnosis of
leukemia, in
the arms of
her loving
family. She
left us
peacefully
and pain
free, which
was a
blessing. In
place of
flowers,
donations
may be made
in her name
to the
organizations
she
supported
most
closely:
Friends of
the Ann
Arbor
District
Library,
Elderwise,
the Huron
River
Watershed
Council, or
your charity
of choice.
Plans will
be made
later this
spring for a
gathering so
that friends
and family
may come
together
outside, in
a park with
birds in the
background,
to celebrate
her life. To
say she will
be missed is
an
understatement,
yet she left
this world a
better place
and
impacted.
She was
loved by so
many, for
which we are
grateful. We
were all
blessed to
have her in
our lives.
Class of
1957
Red
Rose List
Tributes Index
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