Leader Publications

Joseph Elder, 89

Born: Oct. 10, 1922

Died: Oct. 8, 2012

Joseph Daniel Elder, 89, formerly of Garver Lake, Edwardsburg, passed to his rest Oct. 8, 2012 in Dade City, Fla., after an illness.

He was born Oct 10, 1922 in Kilsyth, W. Va., the son of Luther B. and Ida (Lusk) Elder.

Joe grew up in the West Virginia area and worked at the shipyards in Baltimore, Md., before he entered the U.S. Army in 1943. He served until 1945 in the European and African theaters of World War II, receiving three bronze stars and two overseas bars.

After the military, Joe worked in the coalmines before leaving West Virginia, and came to the Edwardsburg area in 1953. He was a former employee of Riblets in Elkhart and doing maintenance and welding.

Joe was a member of Granger Missionary Church.

Joseph was married April 4, 1947, in Columbus, Ohio, to Beatrice Elizabeth Burgess, and she passed Oct. 22, 2000.

After he moved to Florida, he married Dorothy Render five years ago, and Dorothy survives with Joe’s two daughters, Lynda S. (Edward) Buss of Lakeland, Fla., and Dreama A. Jeffries and her husband, Bill Grogg, of Hessville, Ind.

There are 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Family who have passed are his parents; his first wife, Beatrice; two sons, Robert Duane Elder and Charles M. Elder; a granddaughter, Shannon (Elder) Roche, who was in the Air Force; and a brother, Laywood Elder.

Family and friends may gather at Paul E Mayhew Funeral Home, 26863 W. Main St. (U.S. Highway 12) in Edwardsburg on Sunday, Oct. 14, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The service of remembrance will be Monday, Oct. 15, at 11 a.m. in the funeral home with the Rev. Mark Batterbee, a retired pastor of the Missionary Church, officiating. Burial will follow in Edwardsburg Cemetery with graveside military rites by the U.S. Army Honor Guard of taps and flag folding. The Monday visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. at the funeral home.

Arrangements are by Paul E. Mayhew Funeral Home, Edwardsburg.