ROFFMAN, Eldo LeRoy 1927-1999

EWING, ROFFMAN, SEITZ, BOLAND, SMITH, BARR, MAY, RUPERT, DENNER

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 11/21/2010 at 15:42:10

Eldo L. Roffman

Eldo L. Roffman, 72, of Waukon, died Saturday, Dec. 4, 1999, at the Makee Manor in rural Waukon.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Dec. 7, at 11 a.m., at Forest Mills United Methodist Church in rural Postville, with the Rev. Steve Campbell officiating.

Casket bearers will be Mark Boland, Jerry Berg, John May II, Ken Roffman, Mark Ewing and Hartley Enyart Jr.

Burial will be at Smithfield Cemetery, rural Postville. The Martin Funeral Home of Waukon is handling arrangements.

Eldo LeRoy Roffman was born Nov. 4, 1927, on his grandparent's rural Postville farm, the son of Earl L. and Florence H. (Ewing) Roffman. He was baptized at Forest Mills United Methodist Church, where he remained a lifelong member. He attended Jefferson No. 8 rural school and graduated from Waukon High School in 1945.

On July 31, 1949, he married Fern Arlene (Seitz) Boland at the Methodist parsonage in Decorah. She died in 1972.

On Nov. 4, 1973, he married Sylvia Ann (Smith) Barr at Forest Mills United Methodist Church.

Eldo had a lifelong interest in working with wood. He even carved the guns that he and his cousins played cowboy and Indian with as children.

He joined his father as a home builder after graduating from high school and concentrated on the finish carpentry. Eldo also made many pieces of furniture, specializing in cupboards.

He did a lot of picture framing and, in later years when his eyesight failed and he could no longer make square corners, he started making his trademark arrow head design frames.

From 1949 until 1966, he also farmed in the Forest Mills area.

Eldo was a member of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, the NRA, and the Allamakee County Historical Society. He served as Jefferson Township (Allamakee County) trustee for many years.

He was an avid hunter and outdoors man, and enjoyed collecting muzzle-loading guns, coins, knives and artifacts. He also enjoyed reading and, in later years, listening to books on cassette tapes.

One of his favorite sayings was "When I become king," and on Valentine's Day he was named "king" of the celebration at Makee Manor, complete with crown.

Survivors include his mother, Florence Roffman of Waukon; two daughters, Janet May of Yuma, Ariz., and Joyce and Roger Rupert of Center Moriches, N.Y.; six sons, James and Sharon Boland of Decorah, Shane and Bethany Barr of Lake St. Louis, Mo., Warren and June Barr of Waukon, Pat and Mary Barr of Des Moines, Ethan Roffman of Waukon, and Caleb Roffman of Cedar Rapids; one sister, Betty Denner of New Hampton; one brother, Terry Roffman of Markeson, Wis.; 16 grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Eldo Roffman was preceded in death by his father, Earl; his wife, Fern; and a great-granddaughter, Amanda Berg.

Decorah Public Opinion, Dec. 7, 1999 clipping from Dorothy Schave's obituary collection.