Elsie Marie (Melzer) Pshigoda, daughter of Jacob and Mary Catherine (Herber) Melzer, was born February 24, 1926, seven miles northwest of Follett, Texas, and went to be with her Heavenly Father on December 20th at the age of 90 years old.

In 1935, along with her parents, brother Norman, and sister Alice, the family moved to the Herber Farm southwest of Shattuck where she grew up. Elsie attended school in Follett, Higgins, and Shattuck, graduating from Shattuck High School in 1944, then attended Wichita Business College in Wichita, Kansas.

Elsie was united in marriage to Albert Pshigoda on May 12, 1946, by Rev. John Heer in the Ebenezer Baptist Church in the country. To this union four children were born; Leslie, Curtis, Rodney and Alesia (Sissy). They made their home on the Pshigoda Farm southwest of Shattuck where she was a devout wife and homemaker. In the year 2014, Elsie officially put the Pshigoda Farm in the history books with a little assistance from granddaughter McKenzie. The Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture certified the Pshigoda Farm as an Oklahoma Centennial Farm and Elsie was sure proud of this recognition. In addition to her many years devoted to working on the farm, she was also an employee at the Newman Memorial Hospital for 23 years.

Elsie always enjoyed preparing her harvest feast for the men because, "It wasn't harvest without bierox and fried chicken." She was an outstanding cook and her kitchen was truly the heart of the home. As many family meals were prepared, acknowledging the Lord was always a top priority. When gathering in fellowship, Elsie made sure that thanks were always given for the many Blessings bestowed upon the family. Her two greatest loves were her family and her church. Elsie accepted Christ as her Savior as a teenager and was baptized in 1950 by Evangelist John Berenschot. She served the church as a publication agent and taught Sunday School classes for many years, up until the age of 85. She spent hours reading her Sunday School lessons and devotions. When the church doors were open, she and her family were expected to be there.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a son Leslie and daughter-in-law Lola, husband Albert, sister Alice and granddaughter Michelle Kraft. Elsie is survived by her brother Norman Melzer and wife Wanda of Wichita, Kansas; son Curtis Pshigoda and wife Cheri, son Rodney Pshigoda and daughter Alesia Bojorquez and husband Hector all of Shattuck; a special niece, Nora Clark and husband Rich of Broken Arrow; grandchildren Justin Pshigoda and wife Christi of Arnett, Jeffrey Pshigoda of Flint, Texas, Blane Pshigoda and wife Renee of Colorado Springs, Scott Pshigoda and wife McKenzie of Shattuck, Justin Owens and wife Olga of Shattuck, Misti Owens of Elk City, Brenton Johnson of Edmond, Lindsey Hosier and husband Blake of Shattuck, Ofelia Marin and husband Rigo of Woodward, Billy Bojorquez and wife Heather of Mooreland and Savanna Bojorquez of Shattuck; and great grandchildren Abigail Schultz, Tristan Pshigoda, Maryna Dipple, Jeffrey Pshigoda, Jordan Pshigoda, Landon Pshigoda, Jason Pratt, April Pratt, Treven Pratt, Skylar Pshigoda, Macy Pshigoda, John Owens, Daniel Owens, Shiloh Owens, Samuel Kraft, Mitch Kraft, Landon Hosier, Layito Marin, Gabriella Marin, Daniel Marin and Natalia Marin. She will be greatly missed by her church family, friends, and so many others whose lives she touched by living a life of generosity, faith and love.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the nursing staff of the Newman Memorial Hospital and Shattuck Nursing Center, as well as the staff of Faith Hospice for the compassionate care they provided.