A memorial service was held Jan. 25, 2005, at Homer Float Plane Lodge. A memorial service and internment will be held in Cleveland at a later date.

Elizabeth (nee Henrich) was born Nov. 13, 1913, of immigrant parents in Brackenridge, Pa. She lived most of her adult life in Cleveland. She had one brother, Thomas Henrich. She was a shy but self-directed person in her determination to study, get good grades, paint, and play the piano and practice. When she was 16, she learned that her parents had enrolled her in the Metropolitan Business College for which she had to leave high school. Although she excelled in the school and finished early, she regretted that she didn't graduate from high school. At 17 she started working for a professor at Case Western University in Cleveland and helped him publish several chemistry and physics textbooks. During this time, she also took numerous night courses and rode the street car almost daily across town to go swimming. Swimming was one of her loves in life.

She met her husband, Walter, at a wedding. He was 6-feet 2-inches and very handsome. When asked to be a bridesmaid, she said she would be only if they found an usher taller than her. She was 5-feet 7-inches, which was tall for women of her generation. Elizabeth was married Nov. 30, 1935, during the Great Depression.

"She loved our dad with all her heart through the good times and the bad," her family said.

After her marriage she moved to Utica, N.Y., where her first daughter, Barbara, was born. The family moved back to Cleveland, where her second daughter, Jean, was born. In the mid-1950s, she and her husband built a small cottage by Lake Erie. She was a good homemaker, using her skills of cooking, sewing, canning and art. She was a very frugal but generous person. She always cared for and appreciated the things she had, both material and human. She loved her music and her organ. While still in Cleveland, she also took organ lessons and taught neighbors' children.

When she was 80, she moved to Homer. Asked how she could stand the cold weather in Alaska, she would answer that Cleveland was also cold, wet, windy and icy in the winter, but Homer had a more beautiful view. She loved Homer and rejoiced in the many friendships and beautiful views. She also appreciated the love from her step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren.

Her family said, "She and dad were always supportive and provided their daughters with unconditional love. She also encouraged us in many other ways. She was an excellent speller and quizzed her daughters on the word puzzles in the Reader's Digest. Elizabeth helped many people during her life; and when she needed help, she still helped the rest of us by her spunky spirit and twinkling smile. She was a very gracious lady. She appreciated life and was always game to see something interesting or beautiful. She was loved by us all and we'll miss her."

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter F.P. Werner; her brother Thomas Henrich; and her sister-in-law Ruth Henrich.

She is survived by her daughters, Barbara Walker of Homer and Jean James of Fairbanks; Jack Polster; son-in-law William H. James, grandson Nolan Wadland of Houston; and step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews in Ohio, Virginia and New York.

The family requests that memorial donations be sent to Faith Lutheran Church, 3634 Soundview Ave., Homer, AK 99603 or another charity of your choice.

Arrangements were made by the Homer Funeral Home.