The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

Elisabeth Mosser O'Brien was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in April 1925 to Norman Mosser Sr. And Anna Schroeder Mosser. She was raised in Chinook with her older brothers Norman Mosser Jr. And Doug Mosser. One of the highlights of her youth was going on a month-long family trip to the 1939 World's Fair in New York and a tour of the east coast. Elisabeth graduated from Chinook High School and was valedictorian of the class of 1943. After graduation, she and some friends moved to San Diego to work for the summer in the factories to support the war effort. She returned to Montana and attended the University of Montana in Missoula for 2 years before marrying Jack O'Brien on April 23, 1946. They remained happily married until Jack's death on February 22, 2019. They lived in Scobey, Montana and Dayton, Washington before returning to Chinook permanently in 1956.

Elisabeth was a stay-at-home mom and homemaker until she returned to college and earned her degree in elementary education from Northern Montana College in Havre. She began her teaching career at the Chinook Elementary School and spent the majority of her 25 years teaching the 5th grade. She then substitute taught for another 10 years. Elisabeth was a natural born teacher like her mother. She said she always enjoyed teaching and prided herself on being a good teacher who treated her students with fairness and respect.

Elisabeth was always very health conscious and could be seen out walking and working in her yard until her mid 90's. Her other hobbies through the years were reading, dancing, golfing, playing bridge and other card and board games. Her favorite board game was Scrabble.

Elisabeth was predeceased by her husband Jack in 2019, her daughter Jean Ericsen in 1999 and Jean's husband Bob Ericsen and Jean's granddaughter Emilee Carr, her nephew Dave Mosser in 2017, her parents and her brothers and their spouses, Norman and Marietta Mosser and Doug and Anna Mae Mosser.

Elisabeth is survived by her children Melody and her husband Jim Cook of Issequah, Washington, their son Russell with his wife Katie and daughter Ashley. Jean's daughters Angela McNeil of Oceanside, California and Melissa Ericsen of Reno, Nevada. Elisabeth's daughter Kay and her husband Dan Johnson of Chinook, their sons Aaron of Las Vegas, and Kelly of Chinook and his children Zach, Nic, Lucy and Kathryn Johnson. Also, her son Kevin of Renton, Washington and his children Dalton, Shea and Kasidy. Other survivors are her nephew Doug Mosser of Chinook and Bruce Mosser McCarty of Vermont.

At Elisabeth's request, there will be no funeral services. In lieu of memorials, please celebrate and honor Elisabeth's life by reading a book, playing a game of Scrabble, or for her former students who remember the story, read "The Five Chinese Brothers."