Love One Another

This is my final post. My beloved husband John died yesterday, January 28^th, at 11:47 a.m.  The past week has been rough, but the end was very peaceful. Hilary and I were by his side, holding his hand and singing to him. We sang his favorite hymn, “Love One Another”, over and over, as he slipped away. He loved that hymn! It never failed to bring tears to his eyes. Though he’d been comatose, I know he could hear us. He died at home, which is what we both wanted. I’m so grateful to Hospice for helping to make that possible.

We are all very sad, but comforted by the knowledge that because we have been sealed in God’s holy temple, we are a forever family and will be together for all eternity. Until then, I will miss him in a thousand ways.

Fitchburg—John Morton Elisberg, age 63, died of cancer at his home on Monday, Jan. 28^th, 2013.

He was born on June 1, 1949 in Chicago to Edward and Betty Lou Elisberg. He grew up in Glencoe, IL, and graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka.  He earned a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and earned his M.D. at Northwestern University School of Medicine, and then completed a residency in internal medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

On Aug. 2, 1986, he married the love of his life, Harvada Ann Trevillian in Milwaukee.  He was so proud of their three beautiful children, Andrew, Allison, and Hilary, and he treasured his time with his four grandchildren, Jack, Jane, Grace, and Elsie. 

John loved being a physician, and spent most of his career as a solo practitioner of internal medicine in Appleton and Neenah, Wisconsin.  In 2009 he and Harvada moved to Madison, where he worked for UW Health and taught part-time at UW School of Medicine and Public Health. He was chairman of the Department of Medicine at Appleton Medical Center and Theda Clark Regional Medical Center in Neenah. He served on the Patient Care Review Committee for both hospitals, and the Credentials Committee, Journal Club, and Collaborative Care Committee. John was a caring and compassionate physician and was loved by his many patients, and all those who worked with him.

John loved the outdoors and spending time at the family cottage in the Northwoods. You’d find him fishing with grandkids off the pier, snowshoeing through the woods, canoeing with Harvada on the lake, or taking late night walks in solitude. John was a loyal Northwestern football fan and held season tickets to their games. John was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was ordained a High Priest, loved singing in the choir, enjoyed doing Home Teaching, and loved missionary work.

Most of all, he loved his family, and we loved him. He made us so happy, and we will miss him.

John is survived by his loving wife, Harvada; son, Andrew; daughters, Allison (Nate) Wilson; and Hilary (Travis) Wertz; grandchildren, Jane and Elsie Wilson, and Jack and Grace Wertz; father, Edward Elisberg; brother, Robert Elisberg; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother.

The family would like to thank Dr. Toby Campbell, Sandy Burns, Stephanie Sieger, and the staff at UW Carbone Cancer Center, and also to Loretta and the many other kind and compassionate staff at Agrace Hospice. All of you will never know what a difference you made in our lives as we made our way through these last 3 difficult years.

Instead of flowers, please consider a contribution to The National Alliance on Mental Illness, or to the Salvation Army.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4505 Regent St., Madison with burial to follow at Forest Hill Cemetery in Madison. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at the Church. Friends may call on Fri., Feb. 1, 2013, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Gunderson Funeral home in Fitchburg, 2950 Chapel Valley Rd., Fitchburg.