Winfield Courier
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
HOWARD--- Jerry Leroy Elder, 72, longtime resident of rural Howard, died Feb. 24, 2006, at the Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital in El Dorado.
Services were 11 a.m., Feb. 27 at Zimmerman Funeral Home. Pastor Robin Haines officiated. Burial was in Cresco Cemetery.
Elder was born Nov. 17, 1933, at Salina, to John Oliver and Effie Mae (Norris) Elder. He moved with his family to Elk County at an early age and attended rural Elk County school. He worked at Boeing Aircraft Co. in Wichita during the mid 1950s.
On May 31, 1956, he married Mary Ellen Coffman at Wichita. They had made their home on the family farm north of Howard since 1958. Elder was a rancher throughout his life. He was also a millwright, carpenter, pipefitter and welder in commercial and defense construction work. He became disabled in 1977, due to a work-related accident and returned to operating his ranch. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Severy and Howard, the Wichita Consistory and Shrine and the Millwright Union of Wichita. Elder served several years as minister of the Full Gospel of Raith in Piedmont.
His wife died Jan. 18, 1995.
He is survived by his sons, Jerry L. Elder Jr., Ron Elder and Thomas Elder, his daughters, Donna Elder and Effie Winn; four sisters, Mary Martin, Alice Williams, Effie Mae Wasser and Betty Tapley; four granddaughters and one great-grandson.
Just in memory of Dad--
I miss you and I love you!
You have 3 of the most beautiful grandgirls ever!
I will never stop missing you or wishing I could have that "last" word on an argument.
Monday you would have been 75 yrs old (or young).
Thank you for being the BEST friend I could have ever hoped for. And also, THANK YOU to you and Mama for "taking" us kids in and giving us the best home ever!
I love you and Mama and I miss you both so very much!
Love,
Effie
P.S.
I know this is a weird way of memorilizing Daddy, but I couldn't think of anything better!
I think it is a perfectly wonderful way to honor your Father; I am certain that he knows it too. :-*
You have chosen a very special place to share your feelings about your parents. I'm sure they are very proud of you for your accomplishments and also for taking such good care of your brothers and their needs.
10 yrs today, daddy! God only knows how much I miss you. Just to let you know, your granddaughters are doing well, I believe they are so much like you! You would not believe how far Ron and Tom have come,they have become so independent! You would be so proud! I wish I could just have one more chance to speak with you, I really miss you! I find myself using your "words" more and more as I get older, yep, those words make me seem so much wiser than I really am...
I love you Daddy and I miss you more than words will ever say....
Your baby girl,
Effie