Elisabeth was German-born but as a teenager became an American citizen through her stepfather, a American soldier. She was 19 in 1958 when she met Elvis at the base movie theater in Germany. After they dated a few times, Elvis convinced her parents to let Elisabeth move in with him as his personal secretary. She answered Elvis’s fan mail for the remainder of his time in Germany. Privately, the two continued their personal relationship.
When he left Germany and the army in March 1960, Elvis took Elisabeth back to Memphis with him to continue as his personal secretary. In Elvis the Soldier, which she co-wrote, Elisabeth recalls that one day at Graceland, Elvis told her, “Foghorn (a nickname he had always called me because of my low voice), I’m going to take you for a motorcycle ride.” Soon afterwards Elisabeth left Graceland to marry Rex Mansfield, Elvis’s closest friend during his army hitch.
