Obituary of Elizabeth Anna Soechting

Elisabeth Soechting died Tuesday, November 22 in Scottsdale, AZ after a brief illness at the age of 97. Elisabeth grew up in Hollabrunn, Austria, the daughter of Josef and Anna Zeitlberger, and then moved to Vienna, where she was employed as a banking clerk. From her residence on Dorotheergasse, she could walk to and enjoy the many pleasures of Vienna, including the Opera, where she met her husband in February of 1941. Following her marriage, she joined the household of her husband in Vienna, where she raised her first three children. During an interlude of World War II in 1944, she returned for safety to her parent's home in Hollabrunn, with her 6-month old son, but was then forced to flee on foot with her child and other family members, when Hollabrunn was invaded. She resided in Vienna until the family decided to emigrate to the United States. Pregnant with her fourth child in December of 1952, she crossed the Atlantic with her other 3 children to join her husband in New York City. She firmly disliked moving and relocating, but she “bloomed where she was planted” in inspiring ways. Following brief stays in New York City, and Paterson, NJ, the family settled in Wayne, NJ, where she resided until 2003. There she pursued her interests in gardening, her children's education, and neighborhood congeniality. She hosted visits from European relatives, traveled with her husband, and often returned to Austria to stay in touch with family and friends. As her children became older, she began selling World Book Encyclopedias, becoming an award winner in World Book sales. Throughout her life, she was devoted to her faith and to contributing to numerous charitable and faith-based organizations. She never missed a mass or the observation of Holy Days of Obligation. She created and tended two new garden areas at Our Lady of the Valley in Wayne, shortly before leaving for Arizona, as a tangible remembrance of her devotion. When she moved to Scottsdale, AZ, in 2003, to be nearer to her daughter, Anne Marie and her family, she once again “bloomed where she was planted.” She embraced and enjoyed activities at Westminster Village, including swimming, outings with friends, and volunteering at the Weyrich Center. She continued her passion for walking, and found ways to garden in the desert. By her 90th birthday, she admitted with assurance that Westminster Village had become her home. She will be fondly remembered as a formidable woman, confidant of her own opinions. She was a lifelong advocate for healthy living, promoting and practicing her value of exercise and healthy eating. Equally important was her passion for ecology, recycling, and assuring the existence of the planet. She was preceded in death by her husband and her son Fred. She is survived by her sister Grete Wittmann, her son John, her daughters Elisabeth and Anne Marie, and their spouses as well as by seven grandchildren: Christiane, Bernard, Barbara, Greta, Andrea, Ryman and Ashlan and one great-grandchild Nayra. A funeral Mass will be held at St. James Church, 410 Totowa Road, Totowa, NJ at 11:00am on December 7, 2016. Burial will follow at Laurel Grove Cemetery in Totowa.