Marie Elias

Marie Elena Elias passed away peacefully on April 20, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. She was 80 years old. Her family and so many others that loved her are mourning her passing.

Marie was born on October 26, 1942. She will be forever loved and greatly missed by her son Michael Elias, her son Marc Elias and his wife Gretchen, her grandchildren, her sister Linda Acaron and her husband Charlie, and her many dear friends that brought joy to her life every day. Marie was predeceased by her husband Mike Elias, her mother Maria Ibanez, and her father Cayetano Ibanez.

Marie was born and raised in Queens, New York. After living in California, Oklahoma City, Miami, and St. Louis, she and her family of four settled in Goodland in 1979. Shortly upon arriving there, she became an elementary school librarian, a position she held for nearly 40 years. Through her service to the school, she touched the lives of thousands. Day after day for decades, Marie worked magic in the library to make reading fun, providing the spark to ignite a love of reading for generations of students.

Marie loved her life, her small town, and the simple riches it brought her, including her comfortable home, her backyard garden, shopping trips with friends, visits from her children, grandchildren, and grand-pets, and a supportive community. Central to her life was the love of her friends, whom she cherished as family. She was blessed to have so many people to love in her life, and so many that loved her back.

In lieu of flowers, donations will be accepted to the Marie Elias Memorial Fund at Bankwest. Contributions will be used for a memorial bench in her honor at the school garden at North Elementary, with any additional proceeds used to help provide books for elementary students across the community.