Funeral Service: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 2:30pm at the Colstrip High School Auditorium.
A luncheon in the CHS cafeteria to follow.
Elisabeth Elisa Ann Gaskill, 49, passed away in her home on Friday, Feb. 6, after a 2 year battle with breast cancer.
To say Elisa fought her illness is an understatement. Elisa met her cancer head on and most of the time defied all the statistics, living each day to the fullest, and working fulltime until the last week of her life, taking very little time off for anything other than her regular chemo, radiation, and CyberKnife appointments.Never one to complain, not once was Elisa ever heard to complain about the nausea, or loss of hair, the pain, or all the tests and the thousands of miles of travel to Billings, Miles City, and Great Falls. She set an example of living for all who had the joy of knowing her. We love you and miss you tremendously and the world has lost a sweet lady of great dignity, style and grace who led by her great example at all times; always comfortable in herself with her bald head or her Cubs or Disney caps or even her wig. Her presence simply said style and she was a classy lady in all that she did. Many times people were shocked to learn that that lady at the front office was gravely ill.
Elisa had a great love of music, particularly classical piano. Elisa learned to play the piano at a very early age and has been a featured pianist at most school musical functions over the past 29 years including starting her piano tuning business shortly before her cancer diagnosis. Elisa had perfect pitch and could often be seen wincing in a subtle, unobtrusive, almost humorous way that only she could project when listening to self or others and was the harshest critic of herself. No one else could hear it, but she could.Elisa was never happier than at the piano or organ, playing for church, accompanying students for music festivals or recitals, especially playing with her daughter Reagan, practicing at home with her baby grand piano, taking care of grandkids, tending her flowers, yard and landscaping, or simply knitting and watching her beloved Chicago Bears or Cubs as they lost time and time again to much lighthearted ribbing.
Elisabeth Ann Barg was born in Clintonville, Wisconsin on July 16, 1959 as a birthday present for her mother, Bessie. Elisa joined two sisters, Esther and Elaine and soon they were followed by Ellen, Edgar and Emery; so with mother, Bessie, and father, Rev. Edgar Barg, the family grew to eight. Elisa spent her early elementary years in Embarrass, Wisconsin until the family moved to Ladysmith where Elisa completed her elementary and high school years as a very involved cheerleader and participated in musical events with her French horn and piano. Elisa graduated high school in the spring of 1977 and then attended college at Superior, Wisconsin.
Elisa married David Saulsbury in Sept., 1978. Elisa and David moved to Colstrip to work for Colstrip Schools in the fall of 1980. On April 12, 1989, they welcomed into their family the absolute light of Elisas eye, daughter, Reagan Michelle.Elisa and Reagan took care of each other for six years and then Elisa joined Doug Gaskill, Jr. in marriage on April 26, 1996, and they have made their home in Colstrip since.
Besides love of family, Elisa was beyond a very dedicated high school secretary, often running the school as administrators have often admitted and taking care of business, from writing grants to admonishing students for trying to sneak prohibited beverages from the pop machines during school hours. Many a student learned to fear You can bring that to me, please. She was always the diplomat. Elisa was the voice of reason for daily announcements over the sound system. Her voice became a fixture recognizable to all after 29 years of secretarial service to Colstrip High School. Elisa was also the chief organist and pianist at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Colstrip and was a very active member of the congregation.
Elisa is survived by her daughter, Reagan, and husband, Doug, her parents, Reverend Edgar and Bessie Barg, as well as sisters Esther Barg (Jacksonville, Fl), Elaine (David) Eickstaedt (Orland Park, Il), Ellen (Roger) Stephenson (Ladysmith, Ws), and brothers Edgar (Shelley) Barg (Ladysmith, Ws), and Emery (Michelle) Barg (Owensville, Mi) and nephews Stephen (Jenny) Barg, and Christopher Swanson and niece, Katika Boggs. Elisa is also survived by her stepchildren, Jared (Kristine) Gaskill and Jennifer (Kevin) Miller and four grandchildren, Emma and Charlie Miller, and Cole and Jackson Gaskill.
Should friends desire, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the cancer research of your choosing or to Colstrip Public Schools for a music scholarship to be named in honor of Elisa.
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