John Elder…July 24, 1936 – December 29, 2019

A memorial service for John Elder will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, January 3, 2020 at Aspen Center at Casa Del Sol in La Junta, Colorado with Pastor Ron Storick officiating. The family invites everyone to join them for a light lunch at 11:30 a.m. There will also be a come and go visitation with John’s family from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Per John’s request cremation has taken place and inurnment will take place in the Bent/Las Animas Cemetery at a later date.

John Herbert Elder was born on July 24, 1936 in Las Animas, Colorado to John F. and Dorothy (Bruchmiller) Elder. He passed away on December 29, 2019 in La Junta, Colorado at the age of 83.

John graduated from Las Animas High School in 1954 and then attended OJC graduating in 1957 with an Associates in Agriculture Degree. After graduating he was united in marriage to Virginia Langdon on June 16, 1957. John worked for Las Animas Oliver Sales, moved briefly to Arizona, then returned to Las Animas to work once again at Las Animas Oliver Sales and farmed until 1971 when the family relocated to Wiley, Colorado. John worked for 27 years at Wiley Oliver Sales until he semi-retired in 1998, moving to Hasty and then to La Junta in 2012. John was a member of the Wiley Lions, serving as president several times and deputy district governor for a few years. He was a member of the Wiley Brethren Church and the First Christian Church in La Junta. John and Virginia served as directors of Camp Colorado for the Brethren Church as well. In addition, John served as an elder at the Christian Church in Las Animas and in La Junta.

John is survived by his wife, Virginia Elder of La Junta, Colorado; children, Jerri (John) Carey of California; Jeannette (Ken) Lant of Colorado; and Johanna (Kent) Niehage of Kansas; brother, Bill (Jean) Elder of Colorado; sister, Iris (Mike) House of Idaho; eight grandchildren, one great grandchild, many other relatives and a host of friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Dorothy Elder; stepmother, Ruby Elder; and nephew, Mark Elder.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Casa Del Sol Landscape Fund or the charity of donor’s choice in care of Horber Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 431, Las Animas, Colorado, 81054.

For more information or to leave online condolences, please visit www.horberfuneralchapel.com.