Elizabeth Ann Silkwood, 92, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2026, at Fairview Care Center in Sedalia, Missouri, surrounded by her granddaughters, Georgia and Diana, and her former daughter-in-law, Diane Wimberly. Elizabeth was born August 10, 1934, to Lonnie and Alberta May Johnson.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lloyd Silkwood; her children, Lonnie "Dean" Silkwood, Orville "Lee" Silkwood, James Silkwood, and infant daughter Regina May; her grandsons, Michael, Ricky, Darrell, and Lonnie "Jr." Silkwood; her brother, James "Jim" Johnson; and her sister, Alberta. She is survived by her daughter, Vickie Schramel of Chillicothe, Missouri; her sister, Wanda of Eastland, Missouri; and her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and extended family who were fortunate enough to call her Grandma, family, and friend.

Elizabeth worked for many years as a seamstress at Hi-Style Sportswear. Hard work was simply a part of who she was. She rose before daylight, often beginning her morning by pulling out her old cast-iron skillet and the Crisco can that held her carefully saved bacon grease. Everyone in the family knew-or quickly learned-that you did not throw away Grandma's "good grease." She would make a full breakfast of fried eggs, sausage, and biscuits, wash the dishes, and then head off to work.
Her work did not end when she came home. Elizabeth kept a large garden and spent countless hours growing and canning vegetables for her family. Summers at Grandma's house often found the living room filled with grandchildren, everyone snapping sugar peas and beans together in preparation for canning. What may have seemed like ordinary days at the time became some of the family's most treasured memories. Elizabeth loved her family with all her heart, and she was always happy to have her grandchildren with her. Overnight stays at Grandma and Grandpa's meant crawling into bed between them and watching Friday Fright Night scary movies together. Her house also seemed to have an endless supply of ribbon candy and circus peanuts waiting for visiting grandchildren. Grandma could be sweet, but she also expected her grandchildren to mind their manners. She was handy with the lye soap or a switch if she caught a grandchild cursing, yet she was just as quick to pull that same child close for a hug. Her family knew exactly where they stood with her: they were expected to behave, and they were loved beyond measure. That love never diminished as her grandchildren grew older. Even when they were adults, Elizabeth's face would light up when they came through the door. To her, they were always her grandchildren, and a visit from them could brighten her entire day. Elizabeth also enjoyed traveling, country music, gardening, and the simple pleasures of home and family. She shared an especially close relationship with her younger sister, Wanda, living together for several years. Their bond was one of the many relationships Elizabeth treasured throughout her life. Elizabeth belonged to a generation that knew the value of getting up before daylight, working hard, making do with what you had, growing food from the earth, preserving it for later, and making sure there was always enough at the table for whoever happened to walk through the door. Her legacy will not be measured only in years, but in the memories she created: the smell of breakfast frying in a cast-iron skillet, jars of vegetables lined up after a summer of canning, grandchildren gathered around snapping beans, scary movies watched from the safety of Grandma and Grandpa's bed, ribbon candy and circus peanuts tucked away for little hands, and the unmistakable smile that appeared whenever someone she loved came to visit. Those ordinary moments became extraordinary because they were spent with her. Elizabeth loved her family with all her heart, and they will carry that love-and the stories of Grandma's house-with them for generations to come.

Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at the Black Oak Cemetery, Braymer, Missouri. Online condolences may be made at www.lindleyfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of Lindley Funeral Home, Chillicothe, Missouri.