Miss Elsie Elizabeth Church, 98, of 125 Putnam Ave., Hamden died Thursday at Branford Hills Health Care Center. She was born in Montville, CT, August 14, 1904, daughter of the late Joseph Thomas and Grace Beaulack Church. She taught briefly at Stoneleigh Manor College in Rye Beach, NH and Northfield Academy in Northfield, MA before moving to New Haven and continuing the balance of her career at Prospect Hill School, later, Day Prospect Hill of New Haven. She majored in English, receiving degrees from Simmons College and Middlebury College. Miss Church engaged in further study at the University of Chicago and Oxford. After retirement, Miss Church became a active member of the Brush and Palette Club of New Haven, a group of painters doing portrait and figure painting from live models. Miss Church is survived by a brother, Lawrence J. Church of Florissant, CO and three nephews and a niece. She was predeceased by two sisters, Miriam Cole and Gertrude Banigan, one nephew and one niece. Funeral Service at BEECHER & BENNETT, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden, Tuesday, August 5th at 11:00 A.M. Memorial contributions may be made to Hopkins School, 986 Forest Rd., New Haven, CT 06515.