Barbara Joan Millerschone Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Barbara Joan Millerschone, age 87, of Elizabeth, Illinois passed away on Thursday, October 25, 2018. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 28 at the Elizabeth Cemetery. Barbara was born on August 15, 1931 at her family home in Elizabeth to William “Bill” and Helen (Dittmar) Cording. She was the third youngest of 4 girls. She graduated Elizabeth High School in 1949; “a 49er”. She went to work for Jack Schwirtz Chevrolet Oldsmobile as a bookkeeper; not using a computer but skilled at using an adding machine, pen and paper. In 1951, she was in a car accident that changed her life forever. Despite her prognosis, her determination got her through. On May 18, 1956, Barbara married John Millerschone at Christ Lutheran Church in Stockton. Years later, untimely as it was because of a job change, recovery from major surgery, and caring for/losing her mother, Barbara and John were blessed with a daughter. Barbara never returned to full time work, rather worked part time from home and babysat many children. Well into retirement, her last babysitting was with her granddaughter to whom she taught the simple and quiet pleasures of life. A lifelong resident of Elizabeth, Barbara knew so much town history and loved reminiscing about it. She was involved in the local American Legion Auxiliary and Girl Scouts. She had a love of music; listening to it, playing some on the piano and singing; once singing with the County Choir at Soldiers Field. She traveled quite a bit and took note of every new and different thing she saw. She enjoyed reading the paper, doing puzzles, watching birds at her feeders and the flowers and vegetables in her garden grow. She enjoyed cooking and in her later years finding recipes for others to cook. Barbara was masterful with thread and needles. She could sew, darn, tat, and embroider but she excelled at knitting and crocheting. She was proud of the ribbons her meticulous work won at fairs and the compliments she received from others. Never a sports enthusiast, Barbara enjoyed following her granddaughter’s teams, but she was more proud of her granddaughter as a motivated student and pianist. Barbara will be missed by her daughter Crystal Millerschone and her husband Jeff “Stumpy” Williams of Elizabeth, her granddaughter Louisa Williams, of Tucson, AZ and younger sister Charliss (William) Chesney of Freeport. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and 2 older sisters, Ruth Stanley and Bernadine Sprague Gregg. A special thanks to those who touched Barbara’s life in a positive way. No matter how big or small the act, your kindness was always appreciated by her and her family.

Barbara Joan Millerschone

August 15, 1931 - October 25, 2018