Service Details
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Rita’s Catholic Church, 4339 Douglas Avenue, Racine on Friday, January 16, 2026 at 11:00 am with visitation starting at 10:00 am. Entombment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Memorial Suggestions
The family suggests memorials in Elisa’s name to Alzheimer’s Association – Wisconsin Chapter (alz.org/wi).
Elisa M. Poulsen (nee: Sadowski), age 77, passed away on Thursday, January 1, 2026 surrounded by her children.
Elisa was born in Racine to the late Chester and Dorothy (nee: Arcuri) Sadowski on August 22, 1948. Elisa is a graduate of St. Catherine’s High School. On April 4, 1970, Elisa was united in marriage to James L Poulsen at St. Rita’s Catholic Church. Elisa worked at Twin Disc until her retirement in 2005. James and Elisa raised their family in Sturtevant and were proud members of St. Sebastian Catholic Church. Elisa’s strong faith led her to participate in the women’s Cursillo movement. She was involved with the liturgy committee and was a church lector. She also led a teen choir for many years. Elisa’s favorite job was being Mimi.
Elisa is survived by her children: Theresa (Michael) Sullivan, Rebecca (Rudy) Larson and Michael (Rachel) Poulsen; grandchildren: Zachary Sullivan, Samuel (Emily), Emolia, Maxmilian, Sophia and Genevieve Larson, Liam, Lily and Levi Poulsen; and great grandchildren: Magdalone and Theodor Larson. Elisa is further survived by her brother, Timothy Sadowski and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Elisa is preceded in death by her devoted husband, James L Poulsen; parents, Chester and Dorothy Sadowski; brothers- in-law, Frederick (Janet) Poulsen and Robert Poulsen.
The family would like to especially thank The Medical Suites at Oak Creek and Legacy Hospice for their compassionate and wonderful care of Elisa.
A E Escamilla says
I am so sorry for the loss of your mom.
Michelle Rocha says
I have the fondest memories of Mrs. Poulsen and the many ways she welcomed my family as part of her own. She lived her Christian faith in all that she did, not just in words but through constant acts of kindness and generosity. Truly, it takes a village to raise a child, and Mrs. Poulsen was an essential part of that village for so many of us. I will always remember her as a “cheerleader,” role model and an amazing hostess whose home and heart were always open. Her impact on my life will remain with me always. My deepest condolences for your family.
Judy Taylor says
I came to know Elisa only after her stroke. i never saw her at top of her game that Michelle relates. She often told me she couldnt do much physically but she could pray for others. She lived on a busy street praying for the first responders as they raced to the emergency. she prayed for me, a very rough diamond, the hardest. her determination to do what she could cooking three course meals allfrom scratch though half of her body was flaccid. man, that woman could cook! she’s finally free of her body that betrayed her and has joined Jim and Coco. i miss her lots. RIP Lisa…
Maureen Fredericksen says
Maureen Fredericksen
Sheryl Thompson says
I am but a small thread in the rich, full tapestry of Elisa’s life. A Sadowski cousin living in California, I did not meet her until age seven, and then did not see her again until we were both teenagers. Our lives intersected in person a handful of times over the years, but we shared a common genetic and familial background that bonded us. From large family gatherings when Mom (Aunt Fay) and Dad and my sisters and I visited, to the sharing of letters between us as two teenage girls, to our large Sadowski cousins reunion in 2001, to the gift of Facebook posts and private messages in recent years, I came to know her and to appreciate the bond we shared. I remember other times when visiting her mom and dad when she was not present, and they expressing how proud they were of her…as a mother, wife and as a capable professional woman. I also remember a snippet of a comment Uncle Chet, her dad, made about how he enjoyed the visits she made to him and to her mom, dropping in on her way home from work, and how he so enjoyed sharing a libation he would make just for her, catching up with her at her day’s end. It was obvious to any of us who knew her at all how much she appreciated and loved her family…they were and are the most colorful, rich and the strongest threads in the full tapestry of her life. How much she will be missed.