Elsie M. (Sample) Lizio

It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of Elsie Marian Lizio (Sample) of Brockton, formerly of North Easton, on May 22, 2022.

Elsie was the loving wife of the late Robert A. (Bob) Lizio for 56 years and daughter of the late Howard R. Sample and Marjorie L. Southwick.

Born in Brockton, Massachusetts March 22, 1933, Elsie first lived in Montello in the Shoe City. Childhood years saw her also living in Marlboro, where she started school at the tender age of 4 and in East Bridgewater before settling once again in Brockton where the family lived on Tack Pond on Pleasant St. She moved to North Easton lending her hand and direction to building the family home on Allen Road. She was no stranger to a hammer or saw.

Her childhood years were spent loving the beach. Her family camped at Parkwood Beach in Wareham where swimming filled the days. She was an official expert at the “Sample Float”, something her father taught us all. Her father’s cottage in East Falmouth on the Cape, following the death of her mother, became the place where family gathered. The cottage was and continues to be a special place where the entire family relaxed, played horseshoes, and hand after hand of solitaire. No one got out of the cottage without playing a hand of solitaire. Elsie was an ace at it, a tradition that she passed on to her children.

Elsie graduated Brockton High School in 1950 where she excelled in sports and was a member of the Girls’ Sports Council. The letter B she received was an accomplishment in which she took great pride. Field hockey and basketball took a front row seat.

She took more than a glancing interest in nursing and trained as a nurse’s aide at Peabody Home for Crippled Children in Boston following high school. She held a special place in her heart for the children in her care. There she met “Bob” on a blind date. She complained he had a convertible, but would never put the top down when she was in the car. Little did he know she would have loved the wind blowing through her hair.

Once married her family took center stage. Don’t be fooled, Elsie was not your run-of-the-mill homemaker and stay-at-home Mom. She was no stranger to making a batch of brownies then putting on her ice skates and take to the pond with the kids. Not afraid to get her hands dirty with yard work, gardening, or teaching the children how to stay upright on a bike.

Elsie was equally adventurous…besides camping in a tent on an army cot from Maine to California to Canada and across the Continental Divide, a road trip across the U.S. and Canada in a Winnebago Brave, climbing to the peaks of Mts. Monadnock, Whiteface, Mansfield, Katahdin, and Washington just because she could. She wanted to climb the highest mountain in every state, no hill was too high for her to climb. She took fun trips to Disney and had a run-in with a pirate in Acapulco and Bob had to save the day. Road trips and later ferries to Nova Scotia were always in the works.

Anyone who knew Elsie knew she had no airs about her. She was a devout member of the Universalist-Unitarian Church in Brockton where she was active in the church choir, and women’s fellowship, and headed various financial committees. Elsie to say the least was frugal which played well when holding the church purse strings. Her beliefs gave her both a fierceness of spirit which with kindness, understanding, and acceptance were qualities that people who met her would remember. Sometimes she seemed tough, but she had a heart of gold.

Eventually she worked as a nurse’s aide at West Acres Nursing home in Brockton and had aspirations of becoming an LPN. Instead she made a career change and was employed by Plymouth Home National Bank until retirement, working in the trust department. She had a keen interest in investments, which became advantageous when she required living assistance due to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

You can say Elsie had two loves in life…family and ice cream. Because if you did not like ice cream you weren’t a Sample.

Elsie leaves her three children Richard and wife, Susan, of North Easton, daughter Patricia and partner Robert of Canaan, Nova Scotia, Peter and wife, Judy of Norton, as well as grandchildren Bryan (Brenna), Trevor (Alix), Nicole (Tim), Randall, Sarah (Chris), Renee (Brian), and Amanda. Great-grandchildren Danika, Tyler, Jacob, Alex, Logan, Evan, Conor, and Lydia finish the family portrait. Also, wonderful nephews and nieces, brother-in-law George Sethares and sister-in-law Barbara Sample, with special mention of Larry and Chuck Sample who held a special place in the Lizio home.

Besides her parents Elsie is predeceased by her sister Anita Sethares and brothers Lawrence, David, and Charles Sample.

Elsie’s family would like to include a special thank-you to the management and staff of Heights Crossing who showed caring, kindness and compassion as her Alzheimer’s progressed. Also, special thanks to the staff of Baypointe Rehab for never giving up on her after Elsie broke her hip. Your kindness was greatly appreciated.

Donations may be made on Elsie’s name to the Alzheimer’s Society or to a charity of your choice.

All are welcome to memorial calling hours Thursday, May 26th from 4-7 p.m. and memorial service at 7 p.m. at Waitt Funeral Home, 850 North Main St. Brockton. Her committal at Massachusetts National Cemetery will be private.

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