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Emily Marie (Grajek) Elliott

Posted 2008-11-21 by Judy Wight Branson
The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona
Tuesday, November 11, 2008

EMILY MARIE ELLIOTT - 1932-2008

Emily passed away at home on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 in Camp Verde, Arizona at the age of 76 years due to complications after a courageous battle with polycystic kidney disease (PKD). She was born at home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on June 25, 1932 to the proud parents of Roman and Anna Grajek.

She attended St. Helen's School, Pulaski High School and worked at Southside Laundry and Dry Cleaners as a bookkeeper for 10 years until the age of 26. After having enough of the cold winters, she struck out on her own and headed west, visiting Scottsdale, Arizona in 1958 and finally settling there in 1959.

Her first job in Scottsdale was as a switchboard operator for an answering service owned by Skipper Ross, followed by employment as an agent for Lawyers Title of Arizona.

She met and married her future husband, Frank W. Elliott in 1963. Together, they raised 1 son, Kenneth, while she continued to work for Lawyers Title and then Henderson Realty as an escrow officer until the untimely death of her husband in 1977.

Throughout those years, when not working, Emily dedicated her time to family, friends, cooking, baking cookies for her son's class at Paiute Elementary School and spending many weekends in the great outdoors on camping, fishing and hunting trips. Through the coming years, after having met James Luke earlier in life, they became companions, traveled, planted many flower and vegetable gardens together and enjoyed each others company while she worked, first, as a secretary for J. C. Luke Tile Company, until James retired and then as a loan processor for MeraBank, until she retired. With time now on their side, they continued to travel throughout the western United States meeting family, friends and having fun together.

After having been diagnosed with PKD earlier in life, she started kidney dialysis during the summer of 1999 and continued treatment until her death.

Emily was independent, a great mother, very intelligent, an excellent cook, extremely giving and a person who never took no for an answer. She will truly be missed by her family, friends and by everyone who had the opportunity to meet and spend time with such a remarkable woman.

Survivors include her son and his wife, Kenneth and Anna-Lena of Scottsdale, Ariz.; her companion, James C. Luke of Camp Verde, Ariz.; her extended family and many distant cousins living in Wisconsin and the Midwest.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 14th at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 7655 E. Main Street, Scottsdale.

Family and friends are then invited to a reception and viewing from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Messinger Mortuary, 7601 E. Indian School Road, Scottsdale.

Donations would be welcomed in Emily's memory to the Arizona Kidney Foundation, 4203 E. Indian School Road, #140, Phoenix, Ariz., 85018.




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