Elizabeth Helen Pariano (née Wisgerhof), fifty-three, died Saturday, December 6, 2025, at home in Philadelphia.
Elizabeth is survived by her sons, Joe, twenty-one, and Nick, twenty-two; husband, Anthony; parents, Mary and Max Wisgerhof; in-laws, Juanita and Len Pariano; and aunts, including her much beloved Elizabeth Freidheim, uncles, and cousins.
Elizabeth was born Oct. 25, 1972, at Lying-in Hospital, University of Chicago, where her parents worked. She was an only child. She lived her first three years in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago in a university apartment. A close neighbor’s toddler daughter, Oneyre, became Elizabeth’s first friend. Elizabeth then moved with her parents to Rochester, Minnesota, where she lived three years and attended a Montessori preschool, where she had her first experiences with animals and trees, that would become her lifelong loves.
Elizabeth grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms. She attended The Grosse Pointe Academy and University Liggett School where she had many friends and experiences, including extended visits with her maternal and paternal grandparents, both from Illinois. She was prepared well for her next adventures, including at Washington University in St. Louis, where she majored in English literature, and at University College London, where she earned a master’s degree in English literature with a focus on Mark Twain and Shakespeare. She established many lasting relationships during these years. After graduation, she moved to Nashville and represented Norton and Co. and its academic publications. However, she was tempted to teach by those who taught her. She moved to Ann Arbor and attended the University of Michigan, where she obtained a master’s degree in education, a teaching certificate and, later, an MBA.
Her next experience was defining: She gained a position teaching English literature at New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois. There, she noted Anthony Pariano, a special teacher of English literature. The two were married and lived in Chicago. They soon became joyful parents of their first son, Nick. Having a family led them to move to Ann Arbor and settle in the Burns Park neighborhood. After the birth of their second son, Joe, Elizabeth began a career at the University of Michigan.
Elizabeth obtained a position at the University of Michigan College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA). First, she was the undergraduate advising coordinator in the School of Romance Languages and Literature, then she was director of internship programs and director of alumni and employer engagement, working with Dean Andrew Martin during the development of the LSA Opportunity Hub.
Elizabeth and her family moved to Philadelphia when their son, Nick, then fourteen, was recruited to the Philadelphia Union Academy for Major League Soccer. Elizabeth continued her career with the University of Michigan as regional director of development, Mid-Atlantic states.
Elizabeth was loved by all. She had strength and wisdom and was open-hearted, patient, and kind. She was intrepid. She thrived in the presence of her family, friends, and colleagues.
Nick and Joe were her joy.
An informal gathering to celebrate Elizabeth’s life will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Michigan League, 911 North University, Ann Arbor. All are welcome.
In lieu of memorial donations, Elizabeth’s family suggests performing a specific act of kindness in her memory.