Elinor Richoz of Elgin remembered for love of life, civic involvement
Lifelong Elgin resident Elinor Richoz, known as "The First Lady of Elgin," was remembered for her civic involvement and her love of life, family and friends.
Richoz died Tuesday at age 95 at The Vines Senior Homes in Elgin, where she had enjoyed friendships and sitting by the window to watch airplanes, deer and birds, said her daughter Pam Groth of Elgin. "She was always happy-go-lucky," she said.
Richoz was born at Sherman Hospital in Elgin and graduated from Elgin High School in 1942. She told stories of being taken to school by her dad in a horse-drawn sleigh on snowy days, and seeing her grandmother's house being destroyed by a tornado when she was a little girl.
She was married to Arthur E. Richoz, a World War II veteran, for 65 years until he died in 2008.
Richoz received a citizenship award from Elgin's image advisory commission in 2015 and was recognized by the city for her work on the Elgin Veterans Memorial Park committee and the Elgin police citizen advisory committee.
The couple were active supporters of veterans' causes and used to drive by the homes of city council members to ensure they had U.S. flags in their yards before voting for them, Elgin Mayor David Kaptain said. The Richozes regularly attended city council meetings, where they had their own chairs.
"They were very nice people," Kaptain said. "Elinor used to call me and if I did something good or bad, she'd let me know."
She attended council meetings even while using a wheelchair until a few years ago.
"It would be raining or snowing and I'd ask her, 'Mom, are you sure you want to go?'" her daughter said. "And she would say yes. She didn't want to miss."
Richoz was active in the VFW and American Legion auxiliaries, the Blackhawk Homeowners Association and the Elgin Woman's Club, and she was a member of Senior Services Associates in Elgin, among others.
She was primarily a homemaker, but she also held jobs at a garment factory and taught sewing at St. John's Lutheran School and the Singers store, both in Elgin. She sewed clothes for herself and her husband, and made dresses for her granddaughters and their dolls, and for her daughter's wedding.
She loved gardening, bringing flowers to friends and making blueberry pies, and was a Sunday school teacher and sang in the choir at St. John's Lutheran Church in Elgin. At The Vines, she listened to Immanuel Lutheran Church services on Elgin's AM radio WRMN.
Other relatives include her son, Arthur "Arch" V. Richoz of DeKalb, four grandchildren and four great grandchildren who gave her immense joy, her daughter said.
Visitation and funeral services will be held at a later date, possibly in June. People can submit written condolences and memories at symondsmadison.com and video messages until June 5 for a memorial tribute at tribute.co/elinorrichoz.