Elsie was born in Hondo October 9, 1929 to William and Lillian Deckert Ziegenbalg. She was the Great Granddaughter of Jean Jacques Batot who along with his son Christian were the first two settlers of D'Hanis. She grew up and spent most of her life on the Deckert family farm known as the "Longview Farm" situated between Hondo and D'Hanis on CR 432. It was named Longview Farm due to all its land was level prairie. Her Great Grandparents Jean Baptiste and Reine Wolff Deckert who established the Longview Farm, were also among the original Alsatian settlers of D'Hanis. In the 1920's the school boards supported 2 teacher schools to give all rural children a chance of an education by having a school within walking distance. In 1934 Elsie's older sisters, Emma, Theresa and Ernestine attended Longview School and on special occasions such as Christmas and Valentine's Day would take her along with them to spend a day at school. The next year when Elsie started first grade the enrollment at the Longview School had dwindled so it was closed and she and her sisters went to school in Hondo. Elsie attended St. John's Catholic School and later graduated from Hondo High School. She attended Draughon's Business College of San Antonio and worked for Strauss Frank Company in downtown San Antonio. While living in downtown San Antonio she shared a room with her sister Ernie and best friend Bobbie Lou Christopher in the home of her aunt and uncle. She said even though the five of them had to share one bathroom she never remembered any one complaining. Elsie always did only remember the good times and always had a sunny disposition. She moved back to Hondo to marry her high school sweetheart Thomas "Tommy" Edward Timmerman and they wed January 31, 1951. When their 3 children were young Elsie stayed home while Tommy owned and operated Tommy's Gulf Station on 19th St & Ave N. In the early 60's Tommy, Elsie and their children moved to the Longview Farm to live with and take care of Elsie's mother. Elsie continued to live on the farm until age 87. In her early career Elsie worked at the Hondo Airbase, the Medina County Courthouse and then spent 27 years working at The Texas Highway Department and retired from there in 1993. That year the Texas Highway Department hosted a retirement party for all the retirees. Out of 96 retirees Elsie was the only woman. She was skilled at needlepoint and oil painting and loved painting Blue Bonnets and landscapes. She loved quilting and often hosted quilting parties. After retirement she took up golf and enjoyed playing it for many years winning a trophy at her first tournament at Canyon Lake. She did volunteer work for her church, St. John's Catholic Church that included being a member of the Altar Society, Bereavement Committee, St. Vincent De Paul Society, Martha Club and played the organ for mass services as well as weddings and funerals. Elsie worked as a volunteer for 16 years at the Medina County Regional Hospital gift shop. She also made crafts and needlepoint items that she gave to the gift shop to sell. She was an officer for the Hospital Auxiliary and was voted Volunteer of the Year in 2009. She received a Letter of Appreciation from the IRS for volunteering for many years assisting with free tax preparation at the Hondo Library. Elsie was a member and an officer for AARP. Her heart always belonged in Hondo and the people who live there as there was no other place she wanted to live. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and sisters. She is survived by sons, Mark (Jacqueline) Timmerman of Kingman, AZ and Martin (Linda) Timmerman of Corpus Christi; daughter, Suzanne (Bobby) Collins of New Braunfels, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. The Rosary was recited May 22 at Guinn-Horger Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral Mass was May 23 at St. John's the Evangelist Catholic Church. Interment was in St. John's Cemetery, Hondo. Pallbearers were Ryan, Daniel & Bradley Timmerman, James and Jillian Collins and Micah Nowell.