In Loving Memory of Arthur Frederick Elsasser, Jr.

Arthur Frederick Elsasser, Jr. passed away May 6, 2023 in his beloved home on Marco Island after battling cancer for two years.

He was born to Emma (Himler) and Arthur Sr. in Bucyrus, Ohio on February 12, 1947. He attended schools in Ohio, including Bowling Green State University, where he met his future wife in their first chemistry class of their freshman year. Fred and Susan “Sue” (Bergman) were married in June 1969, shortly after he graduated from Bowling Green with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry.

Fred earned his master’s degree in organic chemistry from Purdue University while working at Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana. He then did graduate work at The Ohio State University until he made the decision to put aside his studies in order to devote more time to his family. 

Fred worked as a chemist in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the same office and lab for 26 years before retiring in 2004. Fred and Sue then moved to Tega Cay, South Carolina to escape the Ohio winters and be closer to some of their grandkids. They split their time between Tega Cay and Marco Island until they moved to Marco full-time in the summer of 2020.

Fred’s family was always his most valued possession. He worked his entire life to provide for them, protect them and establish for them a home base where they could all come together, on Marco Island. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. 

Fred was always active in his kids’ lives. He coached them in baseball and soccer and sat through endless hours of games and track meets, even in the worst weather. For the last twenty-plus years of his life, his grandkids were the apples of his eye. He was “Grampy” to all of them and they miss him terribly.

Fred is survived by his wife Sue of almost 54 years; sons Erik and wife Kimberley (Mueller), and Fritz and wife Erica (Tomei); daughter Kristen; sister Joyce Cochran, nephew Ken Cochran, and niece Deborah Cochran; and grandkids Carly, Kire, Dominic, Kaedynce and Emma Jo.

A Memorial Service will be held on May 27 at 11:00 AM at the United Church of Marco Island, 320 N Barfield Drive.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Avow Hospice of Naples, Florida. https://avowcares.org/ways-to-give/.