Elisa Anderson

Ready to embark on a new chapter in life, there was much Elisa Anderson was looking forward to. The prospects ahead looked bright, and were filled with hope and promise. Most importantly, having her beloved husband and son by her side brought her the greatest joy, for which she was ever thankful. They say everything happens for a reason, and in the hearts of those who knew and loved Elisa, there is now a void only she could fill. Yet until they meet again, fond memories and the love she gladly shared will be lovingly remembered. Elisa's story began at a time when the American culture flourished. Innovations and technological advances during the 1970s introduced citizens to much while the economy began experiencing inflation levels never before seen. For James and Beatriz (Ramos) Cirner of Muskegon, Michigan, the only thing on their minds was the upcoming birth of a new child in their lives. Elisa Annette was welcomed into their arms on July 20, 1979. To support their new bundle of joy, her father worked at Westran, while her mother served as a teacher's aide at Craig School. When Elisa was three years old, she welcomed younger sister, Jessica into her life. She and Jessica were not only sisters, but throughout their lives were the best of friends. The Cirner's made their home in East Muskegon on Marquette Avenue where as a family they were faithful members of nearby Oakcrest Church of God. Elisa attended Oakcrest Christian Academy, a small Christian school. During her youth she took piano lessons and absolutely loved singing. In fact, she even sang with the White Lake Festival Choir. While in school, Elisa was very outgoing. She played volleyball in Junior and Senior high school, and was a very good and hard player. Through her love of volleyball, Elisa injured her wrists to the point of needing surgery to repair them. Every summer she spent fun-filled times at church camp, and her personal faith continued to grow. As a teen she volunteered as a Candy Striper at Mercy Hospital, and also took a job at Michigans Adventure Amusement Park during the summer months. She went on to graduate from Oakcrest as only one of four graduates in her class. After high school, Elisa furthered her education for a time at Grand Valley State University. She worked at Little Caesars Pizza, and eventually took the position of Assistant Manager at Bob Evans Restaurant in the Walker area. Life was going well for Elisa, yet new and exciting changes were also in store for her. During this time she met a handsome young man named Joshua Anderson through mutual friends. She and Josh really hit it off and became good friends. He often came to visit her, and together loved spending time playing Scrabble. Josh worked doing maintenance for several McDonald's fast food restaurants in town, and before they knew it, their friendship grew to include love. Josh always dreamed of being a husband, and in Elisa he found his true mate. They eventually shared vows of marriage on May 31, 2003, and settled into a downstairs apartment on McGraft Street in Muskegon. Before long, Elisa and Josh became the proud parents of their blessed son, Xavier. Elisa loved being a mom, and her world revolved around her precious son. They made their church home at First Free Methodist Church where Elisa's uncle, Carlos served as pastor. Elisa was a good and attentive mother, and always made sure Xavier was clean and well cared for, especially for church where she was sure to have him dressed up with a tie. While attending First Free Methodist, Elisa so enjoyed going to her weekly bible study group. Elisa took good care of herself, too. She liked making herself up to look pretty, and could often be found changing her hair color regularly. Sometimes purple, or even orange, it was once an oops color, as well! And her nails were always nicely done. Known as an elegant lady who was very thoughtful and considerate, she sent the most beautiful handwritten thank you notes to people, showing appreciation for anything that was done for her or her family. When Xavier was small, Elisa worked outside the home at Family Video for a time and at Phoenix Personnel. Unfortunately, she battled several mental health issues, and depression eventually gave her no choice but to go on disability. Despite these issues, Elisa made a wonderful home for Josh and their son. She maintained their household with exceptional care, and kept everything in order. She continued to keep in contact with others, and loved talking to friends on the phone. One of her favorite things to do was having a movie date night with Josh. Elisa and her sister, Jessica remained especially close and made sure to find quality sister-time at least once a week. Reading was something she loved to do, and she was an avid fan of basketball, too. She loved their fun, family trip to Disney World in Florida a few years ago where memorable times were shared. Over the last few months, Elisa and her family were making plans to move to San Antonio, Texas. They recently made a trip there to find a place to live and visit relatives in the area. Josh had gotten a new job there, and they were all set to leave in several weeks. A new chapter in their lives, they were looking forward to making a fresh start in Texas with much to look forward to. Their future looked bright and promising until tragedy filled their lives with great sorrow. Unfortunately, Elisa encountered a reaction to new medications she was taking, and sadly died on Friday, April 27, 2012. At the age of 32, her years were few in number, yet Elisa Anderson filled the hearts of those she loved and cared for with unending joy. Until they meet again, Elisa will be remembered with love, and be deeply missed. Elisa is survived by her husband, Josh; son, Xavier Maxmillian James Anderson; mother, Beatriz Ramos Dimas of Muskegon; father, James Cirner of Muskegon; sister, Jessica Cirner; grandmother, Elisa Ramos; grandfather, Jose E. Ramos; mother-in-law, Deborah Anderson; grandmother, Beverly Faino; several aunts, uncles and cousins. SERVICE: Tuesday, May 1, 2012, 11:00 AM at First Free Methodist Church with Rev. Carlos Ramos officiating. VISITATION: Monday, 6-8 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home-Muskegon and Tuesday, one hour prior to the service at First Free Methodist Church. MEMORIAL: To the family. Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to share a favorite memory or photo of Elisa and to sign her online guest book.