Elsa Van Leuven

Elsa Van Leuven passed away on March 10, 2023. She arrived in California at the age of 14 when the family moved here from Oklahoma. She was a talented artist her entire life, but most notably remember for her oil paintings over the last 49 years. Though she painted a variety of subjects, roses were favorite. She took up oil painting at the age of 50, attending La Mirada Adult Education for her formal training and was so admired, that she was asked to teach when the current teacher left. She painted over 2,000 paintings. She obtained her teaching credential at the age of 82, while she was teaching. She won many awards at art shows and sold her paintings at many galleries throughout California, as well as out of state and expanded her painting talents by painting faces. Her musical talents were obvious. Early on; scolded frequently for singing at the dinner table at the tender age of 6. She originally studied music shortly after high school; attending LA City College. She was classically trained in opera learning pieces in many different languages. Her favorite operas were “Carmen” and “Porgy and Bess”. She performed at the Hollywood Bowl very shortly after beginning her musical studies. However, she had a much lighter side, performing most frequently, as Elvis, a dance hall singer and forlorn spinster when performing “Second Hand Rose” (in a 1940s “second hand bridesmaid’s dress) she asked her mother to copy from one worn by Jeanette Mac Donald…for her sister’s wedding). She would spontaneously volunteer to sign at events. She performed “Indian Love Call” at Yosemite’s Annual Fireball event that was discontinued in 1968, but is fortunately back “in 2023”. If you Google you will be able to experience that online and hear the song performed by Jeanette Mac Donald and Nelson Eddy. What a great age we live in. She directed both adult and children’s choirs at local churches, and was a soprano soloist for the majority of her career. When attending Downey Methodist Church, Richard Carpenter played with some frequency and not only accompanied her during services, but would come over the house to rehearse…Karen sitting on the side of the bench while he played. She was no average home maker, upholstering the household furniture, making her own drapes, doing the painting and wallpapering, earning money from making wedding cakes and performing secretarial duties for her sister and brother in law, who owned their own business. She took her knitting everywhere. She could never sit without something to do. She was passionate about politics, as Patriot’s readers already know; having friends on both sides of the political spectrum. You loved her either because of…or despised her…of her political views. She was calling politicians last week, a day before she went into the hospital; saying sarcastically, that she was sure that she’d be missed this last week when she’d be unable to call. There she lost her only son, Mark, in 2008, in a series of strokes at the age of 53. She lost her husband, Fred, in 2010 at the age of 90. She has one surviving daughter, Vicki (she described as “her on steroids”), and one surviving sister, Joyce. She had two deceased sisters, Inetha and Lois, and one brother, Oscar, Jr., named after her father (lost at the age of 6). Her dogs, “Sweetie Pie” and “Shadow”, were her best friends in her senior years. So, Patriot readers, I send a fond farewell on behalf of my mother, who committed herself to the betterment of society and those lives she wished to touch with laughter throughout. Her only regret…that it couldn’t have been an even “100 years old” but 99 1/4 is pretty close. As one of my childhood friends commented, “she did a lot with her life”. Services will be held Bethel Grace Church in Bellflower on March 25 at 2pm. To contact the family call Vicki (323) 480-0608