ELDER, Eugene E.

ELDER, MADDOX, ODELL, OHLSON, NORDSTROM, BLOCK, VICKERS

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 9/12/2006 at 15:14:25

Eugene E. Elder

CHEROKEE, Iowa -- Eugene E. Elder, 87, of Cherokee passed away Monday, April 4, 2005, at the Cherokee Villa.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Church of Christ in Cherokee, with the Rev. Gary Swick officiating. Burial will be in Buena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery, Storm Lake, Iowa, with military rites. There will be a family prayer service at 10:15 a.m. Friday at the church. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, with the family present 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee.

Eugene was born on a frosty morning on Oct. 6, 1917. He was the second of three children born to Herman Thomas Elder and Callie May (Maddox) Elder. He lived in the Liberal and Walker, Mo., area while growing up. He worked hard as a child and showed an amazing aptitude for work and fixing things. In 1937, he and a friend rode their motorcycles to Northwest Iowa. He worked for various farmers in the Newell and Storm Lake, Iowa, areas, initially for Ray and Pearl O'Dell. Then he began working for Reuben and Lloyd Ohlson southwest of Aurelia, Iowa. While working for them, he met their niece, N. Faye Nordstrom.

In July 1941, he was inducted into the U.S. Army on a one-year stint. he knew his time in the military would be lengthened, because Pearl Harbor was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941. Initially in the 5th Calvary, he later transferred to the 4th Calvary and was stationed at Fort Meade, S.D., and also the Mohave Desert in California. In 1943, he volunteered for a group he'd never heard of, the Army Rangers. By this time, he and Faye were engaged.

His training with the 2nd Rangers was rigorous. His company climbed the cliffs of Pointe Du Hoc, Normandy, France on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He fought his way through five European countries and was honorably discharged in October 1945.

Eugene and Faye Nordstrom were married at Mount Olive Baptist Church in rural Cherokee on June 4, 1946. Five children were born to their family. She worked through the years as a registered nurse in Aurelia, Cherokee and Storm Lake.

He took great pride in his work. He loved life and lived it with gusto. He was proud of his family, of his Army exploits and of building up two farms in his lifetime, as well as helping repair machinery and do custom combining for area farmers.

They retired into Cherokee in 1980. His dear wife died on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1995, after a valiant battle with cancer.

He is survived by his children and spouses, Darrell and Jerri Elder of rural Aurelia, Iowa, Roger and Karen Elder of Des Moines, Mary Anne and Marvin Block of Creighton, Neb., James and Maureen Elder of Casper, Wyo., and Adam Elder of Cherokee; and seven grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Richard of Liberty, Mo.; and a sister, Nadine (Elder) Vickers of Nevada, Mo.