Charles Wilford Elder, an 89-year-old Bethany resident, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 at a North Kansas City hospital.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 1 at Roberson Funeral Home in Bethany. Burial with military rites will follow in the Masonic Cemetery at Gilman City. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 at the funeral home where social distancing will be observed and masks are recommended.
Charles was born on Dec. 15, 1931 in Gilman City, the son of Johnie and Anna McAtee Elder.
He served in the United States Army from 1952 to 1954 and was stationed in Japan during the Korean War. He then served in the reserves until 1960.
Charles married Faye Holley in 1955 at the home of Sister Etta Rhea in Gilman City. She survives of the home. The couple lived on and worked a farm north of Gilman City for several years. He then worked in road construction, working on I-29 as it was being built. He later had his own lime truck. Charles then went to work at Modine in Trenton and later he and Faye moved to Trenton, where they lived when he retired in 1993. Charles raised and sold dogs for many years. He enjoyed hunting and fishing when he was younger and was always working in his garden during the spring and cutting wood in fall. He especially enjoyed time with his grandkids. Charles loved country music and western and square dancing. He later started singing at the local oprys and then started his own band, Charlie’s Angels, which later became the Elder Family Band.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Donnie (Darla) Elder of Gallatin and Gary (Jessie) Elder of Bethany; a daughter, Lisa (Dwight) Schell of Bethany; 11 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Eva (Jerry) Henderson of Trenton; a sister-in-law, Lorene “Aunt Red” Taylor of Bethany; and an unofficially adopted daughter, Joyce Fletchall and her husband, Rex.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Avis Marshall; a brother, Harry Elder; three sisters-in-law, Maxine Elder, Pauline Stevenson and Betty Souders; and two nephews, Dennis and Tommy Souders.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. 46, Bethany, MO 64424.
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