The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

Elda Marie Rizzolo Lousberg passed away on March 26, 2022 in Sterling at the age of 90.

Elda was born on April 26, 1931 to Tiberio and Angelina Rizzolo on a farm in Sterling. She was the third of seven children. She attended grades one through eight at Springdale Valley School and was the only one to graduate from the eighth grade in 1945. She earned her high school diploma from Sterling High School in 1949.

On June 4, 1955, Elda married John H. "Jack" Lousberg at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Sterling. They had two children born 11 years apart; Terrie in 1959 and Richard in 1970. For the majority of their married life, they lived in the "House that Jack Built" on Road 37 before moving to town in 2011. Elda was blessed at age 77 to become a grandmother, for the first time, to triplets, Cade, Ciana and Emoree.

Elda went to work right out of high school, working as an assistant to Dr. Manganaro. From there she moved to Skelly Oil Company in the Land Department. She later became a legal secretary and worked for several different law firms. She also worked, part-time, as a secretary/bookkeeper for the Chimney Canyon Grazing Association.

On Dec. 15, 1977, she was appointed by Governor Richard Lamb to be the first woman to serve as a Logan County Commissioner. Subsequently elected to three more terms she worked tirelessly through 1988 serving the people of Logan County. Some of the work she was most proud of included the relocation/reconstruction of the sanitary landfill, restoration of the Logan County Courthouse, recruiting physicians to the area, the Logan County Lodging Tax Board, North Sterling Reservoir becoming a State Park in 1992, the Logan and Washington Counties Television Translation System and the Meet and Eat Program. After being a Commissioner, Elda became Manager of the Tourist Information Center; upon retirement at the age of 80, she continued as a volunteer.

Over the years Elda served on multiple committees including Colorado Counties Incorporated, becoming President in 1988, the Colorado State Fair Authority Board, Rural Economic Development Task Force, Colorado Rural Council, Northeast Colorado Health Department, Colorado Parks and Recreations Association, National Association of Counties (Taxation and Finance Committee and Agricultural and Rural Affairs Standing Committee), Tourism Sub-Committee for the Northeast Region, Colorado Association of Fairs and Shows, Chamber of Commerce Ambassador and the Miss Colorado Pageant - escorting four Miss Colorado's to the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. Other organizations she worked with including the Logan County Council on Aging, Northeast Colorado Area on Aging, Eastern Plains Legislative Taskforce, Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW #354, Catholic Daughters of America #980, Superintendent, Horticulture Department for the Logan County Fair and the MJC Alumni Heritage Center Committee. Elda was a lifelong member of the Democratic Party and St. Anthony's Catholic Church.

Awards Elda received included the Special Achievement Award for Helping the Tourism Council, City of Sterling and Logan County, 2009 Logan County Chamber of Commerce Volunteer and Diplomat of the Year, 1981 Logan County Chamber-Special Service Award, 1987 Woman of the Year, 1980 Colorado Heart Association Pacemaker Award and 1988 Democrat of the Year for Logan County.

She loved to work in her yard and garden. Elda most enjoyed her family and helped her husband on the farm by taking many meals out to the fields. She made sure that her children turned out to be model citizens in their communities. Lilacs were her favorite flowers, and pink her favorite color. On Road 37, she always had beautiful flower and vegetable gardens and canned the best tomato juice in Logan County. Every year she would freeze vegetables and can fruit from the trees grown in the back yard. She was proud of her wheat-weaving, needle-point, embroidery and many arts and crafts she made during her lifetime. The greatest pride and joy in Jack and Elda's lives came from the triplets - they loved watching them grow and were able to see them become good students at Fleming Schools.

She will be remembered by her family as a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother who was always on the go, had a never-ending faith in the power of prayer and worked as an unflagging advocate for Logan County and Northeastern Colorado.

Elda is survived by her two children and their spouses Terrie and Mike Poulos and Richard and Christa (Kuntz) Lousberg; triplet grandchildren Cade John, Ciana Marie and Emoree Faye Lousberg; and sister Esther Rizzolo Eno.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Jack, who died on Feb. 11, 2015; parents; brothers Francisco and Louis; and sisters Celestina Rizzolo O'Brien, Mary Rizzolo Mares and Dorothy Rizzolo Harms Hyde.

Recitation of the Rosary was held on April 2 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Mass of Christian Burial followed with Father Michael Bodzioch celebrating. Interment followed at Riverside Cemetery in Sterling.

Memorials may be made to the Lousberg Educational Fund in care of Tennant Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1547, Sterling, CO 80751.