Elsie Kaenel

It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Elsie Pauline (Plank) Kaenel, resident of Lombard, IL, on Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at the age of 93. She passed peacefully at home with family by her side.

Elsie, also known as Jackie, Chubbs, Little Elf, Elsifer, Gigi K and the Church Lady, was born on January 21, 1931 to Vincent and Pauline Plank in Dolton, IL. Elsie attended Englewood High School until she was 16 when she left to help her family. She later returned to complete her high school education. She has fond childhood memories of singing in the choir, vacationing to Michigan, learning to play piano and picnicking with her family.

In 1950, Elsie married Robert Pac and the pair had five children together before they divorced in 1974. Elsie said that having children is what made her happiest in life. She continued to share that love with her grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren over the years.

Elsie started her career at Illinois Bell, but went on to work at United Airlines in 1951. It is here that she met her soulmate, Albert Kaenel, and where she eventually retired from in 1984. Over the years of their marriage, it was known that where there was Al, there was Elsie. The two were inseparable following their wedding in August 1975 doing everything from gardening to fishing to visiting casinos to traveling to boating and enjoying their time together at their cottage on Cranberry Lake together.

She is survived by her children Robert (Cindy) Pac, Sr and Diane (Nick) Tragos; step children Brian (Zenith) O’Malley, Susan Huston, and Janet (Ed) Overland; Grandchildren Michele Brooks, Jason (Kim) Brooks, Renee Rose, Robert (Kristina) Pac Jr., Nicole (Brian) Nelson, Lauren (Joe) Wetzel, Kayla (Mark) Chladek, Jennifer (Andrew) Scott, Kristy Gilbert, Ashley (Jamie) Vee, Michael (Kimberly) Pac, Michelle (George) Chiampas, Taylor (Dan) Tragos, Nicholas (Katie) Tragos and Danielle (Dan) DiStefano step grandchildren Liam (Hannah) O’Malley, Verity O’Malley, Lisa (Dave) Piontowski, Rory (Tina) Schwartzkopf, April (Derrick) Lingo, Jamie (Ryan) Engelhardt, Julie Brown and Joseph (Nicole) Delarme; as well as many great and great great grandchildren. Elsie was preceded in death by her husband, Albert Kaenel, her daughters, Debra Thomas and Rene Pac, her son, Michael Pac, her stepdaughter Nancee Reynolds, and her brothers and sisters-in-law, Joseph (Corinne) Plank and Fritz (Lillian) Plank.

Visitation will be Saturday, August 17th starting at 2:00pm with a service from 4:00pm at the Countryside Funeral Home and Crematory, 1640 S Greenmeadows Blvd (at Barrington Rd) in Streamwood. Cremation will be private with interment at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery at a later date. Info, www.countrysidefuneralhomes.com or (630)289-8054