Elsie Rote

Elsie Mae Rote, 92, passed away peacefully at River Bluff Nursing Home on Friday, April 22, 2022. Elsie was born on January 7, 1930, in Idaville, Indiana, to Dorothy (Johnsonbaugh) and Floyd Sparks. Elsie attended Chalmers High School of Chalmers, Indiana, graduating in 1947. She attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. Later on in 1951, she became a server, and eventually manager, of Beacon Restaurant in Belvidere, Illinois. Elsie became widely recognized through the Beacon, making lifelong connections and serving the Belvidere community. After retiring from Beacon Restaurant in 1989, she enjoyed mingling as a “Sample Lady” at Sam’s Club for 10 years.   In more recent years, Elsie resided at Sheffield Meadows, where she played bingo, cards, and dice with her neighbors. She was a social butterfly within her retirement community, and loved to chat amongst her group of gals.   Elsie was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, who always looked forward to family time - whether it was a holiday, gathering, or just a quick visit. Everyone who came across Elsie became her friend, but her greatest friend was God. She was a woman of her faith who led others to follow him.   Elsie is survived by her sons, Marvin (Deanna) Seymour and Scott Grimes; grandchildren, Brent Seymour, Toby (Christy) Seymour, Faith (Shelly) Rosborough-Webley, Amy (Matthew) Powers, Andrew Seymour, Katie (Kenny) Schaefer; many great and great-great-grandchildren; Special family members, Nicole Horner, Laurie Grimes, Dawn Follis; many nieces and nephews; too many special and precious friends to name.   She was preceded in death by her son, Roger Seymour; parents, Dorothy and Floyd; brothers, Galen Sparks, John Sparks, Harold Sparks, Walter Sparks, Thomas Sparks and Jerry Sparks; sisters, Eva McClead Sparks and Barbara Sparks Schmidt.   The family would like to extend their gratitude to River Bluff Nursing Home and Northern Illinois Hospice for all the care and support they have provided for Elsie. A memorial service for Elsie will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at 2:00 P.M., at Sheffield Meadows, 1800 Maple Avenue, Belvidere, Illinois, 61008, with cake and coffee to follow. If you have any pictures or memories of Elsie that you would like to be shared at the memorial, please email  rotememorial2022@gmail.com  by May 7, 2022. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family. An inurnment will be held privately at Scandinavian Cemetery, next to her son, Roger. Stateline Cremations is assisting the family, 712 Windsor Road, Loves Park, Illinois, 61111.  statelinecremations.com