Earl Elijah 1887-1971

ELLJAH, KENT, GREER, FINGER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 10/6/2016 at 12:15:15

4 February 1971 - The North Cedar Press

Last rites for David Earl Elijah, 83, were held at the United Methodist church in Clarence, Feb. 3 with the Rev. James Lusher officiating. Burial was in the Clarence cemetery.

Pallbearers were Lester Kelly, Elmer Sawyer, Fred Bachman, Henry Von Muenster, Dr. S. G. Paul and Warren Claney. Honorary pallbearers were Wayne Saunders, Roy Joslin, Harry Decker, A. L. Mensing and Homer Burgess. Mrs. Lester Kelly, Mrs. Henry Von Muenster and Mrs. Elmer Sawyer were in charge of flowers.

Senator Elijah died at Cedar Manor in Tipton Jan. 31 following a long illness.

The son of Edmund and Mary Kent Elijah, he was born on the Elijah family farm near Clarence Nov. 29, 1887. He attended the country school in that area and graduated from Clarence high school. He received his BS degree from Cornell college in 1909 and Iowa State University in 1913, with a BS degree in animal science.

He was Alpha Zeta and Gamma Sigma Delta honorary fraternities and was cited by both Cornell college and ISU for distinguished service.

He was married to Murl Greer, an Iowa State University graduate of 1910, on Christmas day, 1913, at Ames.

A farmer and banker, Senator Elijah maintained a wide range of interests. He was named an Iowa Master Farmer in 1928.

He was elected to the Iowa Senate in 1952 and served in the 55th through the 60th general assemblies, representing Cedar, Jackson and Jones county and, in the 60th general assembly, Muscatine county.

Active as a layman in the Methodist church, he was a director and a trustee of Friendship Haven, Fort Dodge. He also served on the board of trustees of Cornell college and St. Luke's hospital, Cedar Rapids.

He was a member of the first Iowa Soil Conservation committee for 8 years and served as president of the Iowa Swine Producers association for 3 years and as vice-president of the Iowa Beef Producers association.

Senator Elijah was the first president of the Clarence Consolidated school district board of education and was a former president of the Clarence Savings bank. He also served on the Iowa Commission on Alcoholism.

He is survived by his wife, 2 sons, Richard and Robert, both of Clarence; 6 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren and a sister, Mrs. Anna Finger, McAllen, Texas.