Elizabeth Kathleen VanDreel passed away peacefully on December 16th, 2009 at
83 years of age in Santa Ana California. Elizabeth was born in De Pere Wisconsin on November 6, 1926 and went to De Pere High School. She was in the best of care at a skilled facility for a brief period, her niece Stacey Ann Weiss and God Daughter Toni Elizabeth Matteo-Keller were at her side when she made her journey back home. She lived in Costa Mesa, California for the past eight years.
Elizabeth is preceded in the death of her two sons Rick Kearny and Jeffery
Castagna, Brother Jerome VanDreel, Sisters Estelle VanDreel-Thiem and
Gladys “Christine” Vandreel-Matteo and Nephew Roy VanDreel. She is survived
by her sister-in-law Mrs. Marion Marionette Van Dreel of Denmark Wisconsin
and Nephew Peter Trago’s of Green Bay; Nieces Lynn Myers of Chicago, Illinois
and Gloria Danke of Kellnersvile Wisconsin. Great Niece- Harmonie Christine
Keller of San Diego, California. Nephews: Steve Weiss of Chicago Illinois,Perry
and Paul VanDreel of Wisconsin, and many more nieces and nephews.
She will be greatly missed by the rest of her family and the friends who knew
her.
Elizabeth grew up a farmers daughter, to John Anthony Vandreel and Mother Dorothy Biersteaker; not particularly fond of being outdoors and the life on the farm nor the idea of working outside she headed west to California and found that lifestyle more to her liking.
Elizabeth loved to travel and was always on the go having her car packed at a moments notice for the next adventure or helping to take care of a friend.
Whether it was to Chicago, San Francisco, Palm Springs or Hollywood she was prepared. Elizabeth’s greatest joys were taking care of others and she was a
dear friend to those in need. She enjoyed books about travel and talked about
Paris being one of her favorite places. She listened to meditation tapes and was
a quick study for other educational forms on self improvement; even different language tapes. She liked watching television, especially the classic movies.
Piano music was something she enjoyed listening to as well.
Although generally a very private person she only let her closest friends and
family into her world. She was a kind, generous gentle woman who had a good sense of humor and was fiercely independent. People would describe her as
being classy. She always took care of her self and kept her appearance impeccable. Health was just as important to her as she would keep journals on vitamins and nutrition and would take notes on what to eat for certain health issues.
She never smoked, but liked her glasses of wine or champagne on special occasions. She frequently got attention when she went out; random people would approach her and tell her what a beautiful woman she was. Always modest in her behavior, attitude and spirit she would just laugh and say “Thank you”.
Some of her accomplishments included; Movies, Television, Costume/Dress Design, and Dance (Chicago Biltmore Bowl Dance Captain, Arden-Fletcher Dancer, showgirl at the Moulin Rouge Hollywood). She was also a Modeling Teacher and instructor (John Robert Powers). She appeared in several movies including the Towering Inferno and the Poseidon Adventure. In Chicago she worked at the treasury department and city hall. She sometimes used the names, Ellessa or Betty depending on the circumstance.
Elizabeth had planned and was set in her decision to donate her body to the University of Irvine’s Willed Body program in California, not wanting the traditional service, burial or cremation she wanted others to benefit from scientific research, and because of this she knew her legacy would continue to benefit humankind in the most unique way.
(Music by artist Jeanette Alexander, from her Album Still Point)
Elizabeth had been listening too this the day of her passing.
Songs:
- Reunion
- The Passage
- Best of Friends
- Sunrise
