Obituary for Elizabeth Anne Nosbisch

Elizabeth Anne Nosbisch and William Leo (Betty and Billy) were born July 24, 1941, in Mission, Texas. Their parents Joseph and Sophia (Nathem) Nosbisch returned to their Iowa roots months later, with two sets of twins under two years old.

Betty alone was fostered with her mother's foster mother, "Aunt Evie" & John Gardner of Elma, Iowa, where she learned to pick her pink peonies. When Betty was five and ready for school, she moved to the family farm. She had very fond memories of the farm, including milking the cows and squirting fresh milk at the cats. She said that the school really was uphill both ways, and 'cross the crick in the field'. Betty graduated valedictorian of her class from St. Mary's High School in North Washington, Iowa. She moved to Waterloo, Iowa, studying and working through a clerical college there. She eventually followed jobs to Des Moines, Iowa. She prided herself on her clerical skills, being in demand, and the week she received seven paychecks. 

Betty's mother joined her in Des Moines, to be cared for during her last years, and help Betty after she gave birth to her daughter, Jennifer. 

Betty's final employer of 22 years was the State of Iowa, Appeals division. She said when she scheduled hearings for the administrative law judges, that she told them where to go and they thanked her. Betty was a long-time parishioner and volunteer at Visitation Church in Des Moines, now called Our Lady of the Americas. Betty was a long-time member and chapter officer of TOPS, a weight loss support group, eventually achieving the Esther Manz award for losing 100 pounds. 

Betty endured Alzheimer's and COVID in her final years and fought for a long time. With kind words and a smile, staff could still elicit a grin from Betty.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, by her siblings Joseph, Mary (Robert), Bill (Helen), Richard "Tiny," Thomas, and Robert "Bob Mike."

Betty is survived by her daughter, her sister Beverly (Raynold, deceased), and sisters-in-law Earlene (Joe) and Jolene (Tom). She is also survived by 29 nieces and nephews, and their children, for whom she attempted to crochet each a baby Afghan. 

Betty loved pink peonies, yellow roses, cats, and the color blue. Her favorite song was the TV theme song to Yellow Rose of Texas. 

Betty passed July 8, 2026, at Accura of Pleasantville, Iowa, aged 84.