HESSEMER, Elberta Louise , 90 of Brandon, FL passed away peacefully at her son's home Saturday, April 7, 2018. She was born to George and Annabell Ackerman on June 14, 1927 in Jackson, Michigan. She was preceded in death by her father and mother; brothers Don, Buddy, and Tom; sisters Gwendolyn and De Etta. She is survived by her loving family, former husband Charles Hessemer; sons Gregory, Kim, and Eric Hessemer; daughter in-laws Susan and Karin; grandchildren Kimberly, Brad, Robert, and Laura; and great grandchildren, Kamryn, Jordyn, Kally, and Colton.

Elberta was a beautiful, warm-hearted person who deeply loved her family. She was always there to help family and friends in need. Born and raised in Jackson, Michigan, Elberta graduated from St. Mary's High School. While in Jackson, she worked for Dean's Drug Store, and then later as a secretary for the Sparks Withington She met and married Charles Hessemer in Jackson, and together they moved to Chicago in 1951, where she initially worked as a secretary for the American Academy of Arts, where Charles was a student. Once she gave birth to her first child, she then dedicated the next 20 plus years to raise her family. In 1973 the family moved from Libertyville, Illinois to Clearwater, Florida, where she lived until 2010. With her children growing up, she took on a part-time job as a hostess at the restaurant Steak & Ale. It was there that patrons, impressed by her work ethic, convinced her to get her real estate license. That led to a career as a rental agent for the U.S. Steel property Seven Springs in New Port Richey, Florida. She dedicated much of her retirement to her beloved grandchildren and her good friends. Though she and Charles divorced in the early 1980s, he was her only true love, and they once again became very close the last several years of her life. In the spring of 2016 she became very ill and her family nearly lost her three times. She was never afraid to die, but her will to survive won out and she miraculously recovered. Upon recovery, she moved in with her youngest son and daughter in-law, who became her caregiver the last two years. In March of 2018, she began a month-long fight from a virus-turned-pneumonia that she ultimately could not defeat. Her family greatly loves her, and she will be deeply missed.

Services will be held at Nativity Catholic Church in Brandon, with family receiving friends at 9:30 and funeral Mass at 10:30. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to LifePath Hospice in Elberta's name, or your favorite charity.