Marie A. Elsner, 96, of Wheaton, and formerly of Oak Park, died Friday, March 10, in ManorCare Nursing Center in Naperville. Born in Reading, Pa., Mrs. Elsner was a homemaker for most of her life. As a young woman, she worked aboard an airmail plane in Omaha. Her family had moved from Pennsylvania to Nebraska, and Mrs. Elsner got a job bagging and sorting mail to go aboard the mail airplanes. She also would fly with pilots on mail runs throughout the area. “When she was young, she would try anything,” said her son, Charles. “(Flying) was one thing that never scared her.” Mrs. Elsner also enjoyed collecting movie memorabilia, such as posters and magazines. Clark Gable was one of her favorite actors. Mrs. Elsner raised her family in Oak Park but moved to Wheaton more than 20 years ago. “She was pretty outgoing and pretty happy-go-lucky about life in general,” her son said. Other survivors include two daughters, Barbara H. Blomquist and Patricia L. Exner; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St., Wheaton. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the funeral home.
