(La Porte, IN) - Nobody locally is feeling Queen Elizabeth's loss more than a La Porte resident who has lived most of her life in England.

 

Sheila Saunders, her husband, Pete, and their two youngest children arrived in La Porte in 2005 because of a job transfer.

 

Saunders goes back to England twice a year and keeps up on current events in her homeland by listening to BBC radio online. She said she knew Queen Elizabeth was ill from news reports but still was taken back and "quite emotional" at her passing on Thursday.

 

Queen Elizabeth had been at the helm for 70 years.

 

"Even though she's 96 years old, it's still a shock. It's a big change in England and a big change for the world, really. She's a much-beloved queen and person. It hit me more than I thought it would," Saunders said.

 

Saunders said Queen Elizabeth always displayed grace while carrying out her duties and feels being lady-like was one of the reasons for her popularity back home. She said many residents of England sensed in her some common threads. 

 

"I think most of England feels like they lost a family member because we've known her for all of our lives, and she's been a mother and grandmother, so we all feel we can relate to her, and she can relate to us," Saunders said.

 

Saunders is a realtor at MTM Realty Group, and her husband works at Renolit, a maker of plastic films and products. Both companies are in La Porte.

 

Initially, Saunders said she thought her stay in America would be for just a few years, but she's been here long enough now that one of her children married a woman from Chicago and gave her two grandchildren.

 

"17 years later, we're still here. I will always miss England, but we do love La Porte, and everyone has made us feel very welcome here," she said.