Alexandra "Elsie" P. Griesel

Alexandra “Elsie” P. Griesel, of The Community at Rockhill, West Rockhill Township, passed away on Thursday, December 7, 2023. She was 89.

She was the beloved wife of the late Bernard “Bernie” P. Griesel for 53 years until his death in 2012.

Raised in the Fairmont neighborhood of Philadelphia, Elsie was the daughter of the late Michael and Pauline (Odessa) Terpeluk. She was a 1952 graduate of Dobbins High School, Philadelphia.

Elsie was a proud homemaker and the mother of eight, living happily in Huntingdon Valley. She also delighted in being an extended mom to many neighbors, friends, and family members.

Active with the local swim club, The Valley Club, Elsie was also a member of the Red Hat Society and a member and past president of the Huntingdon Valley Women’s Club.

She loved Long Beach Island and many enjoyable summer vacations in Surf City.

In 1992, Elsie and Bernie retired to a 10-acre gentleman’s farm in Sellersville, later moving into the Community at Rockhill in 2010. They were members of St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, Sellersville.

Activities with the Rockhill “family” were always special, whether enjoying bus trips and other excursions or celebrating birthdays with the Rockhill Hallway Celebrations. Elsie never missed sending birthday or celebratory greetings to family and friends.

The most memorable Rockhill events were using the Rockhill Pocono House for a large Griesel family getaway and picnics in the Community Pavilion.

Mrs. Griesel is survived by her eight children: Thomas M. Griesel and his wife, Buffy, of Colorado, Alexandra McLaughlin and her husband, John, of North Carolina, Paula Nice and her husband, Scott, of Willow Grove, Lisa V. Rehborn and her husband, Randy, of Collegeville, Bernard P. Griesel and his wife, Kimberly, of Churchville, Audrey M. Byrnes, and her husband, Kevin, of Lambertville, NJ, Michael E. Griesel and his wife, Heather, of Albuquerque, NM, and Kristina C. Mulville, of Philadelphia. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Olga Ray.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, December 16, 2023, at 10 a.m. in St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, 445 N. Main Street, Sellersville, PA 18960, where a visitation will be held from 9:30 -10:00 a.m.

Interment will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Elkins Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Elsie’s name may be made to The American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116-7023 or online at www.diabetes.org or to the American Heart Association, 1617 JFK Boulevard, Suite 700, Philadelphia, PA 19103 or online at www.heart.org or to the Benevolent Care Fund at the Community at Rockhill in care of Grace Inspired Living, Alyssa Guers, Director of Development, 12 Lutheran Home Drive, Telford, PA 18969.