Elden Lovelett

Funeral services for Elden M. Lovelett, 86, Eudora, KS will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at the Eudora United Methodist Church in Eudora. Military graveside services will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence, KS.   He died on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

He was born on October 15, 1924 in Willamina, OR, the son of Oscar & Agnes Pate Lovelett. He graduated from Milwaukie Union High School in Milwaukie, OR. He lived in the Portland, Oregon area, until he was drafted into World War II.

Mr. Lovelett was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was the recipient of a Purple Heart as well as several other medals and citations. He served in the European Theatre until he was honorably discharged in 1946.

He was a retired firefighter at the Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant (Hercules, Inc.)near DeSoto, KS. He retired as fire chief in 1986 after 35 years of service to the department. In order to provide for his rather large family, he also worked part-time jobs as a handyman, welder, plumber, electrician, mechanic and all-around problem solver.

Mr. Lovelett was a member of the Doric Masonic Lodge in Eudora, KS. He had served as Master of the Lodge three times. He was a member of the Dorsey-Liberty Post #14 of the American Legion in Lawrence, the Abdallah Shrine of Kansas City, KS, the Scottish Rite Bodies of Lawrence and the Lawrence Shrine Club. He was also a member of the Disabled American Veterans. He was a member of the Eudora United Methodist Church.

He was married to Dorothy Randall, now deceased. He married Ellen Kerns in 1967 and she preceded him in death in 1990. He married Nellie Folks on July 6, 1991 and she preceded him in death on July 22, 1995. He married Darlene Rider on July 1, 1996 and she survives him. She lives at Medicalodges of Eudora.

Other survivors include five daughters; Gayla Frazier and husband Lewis, of Shawnee, KS, Eldonna Kaufman, of Olathe, KS, B. Diann Wessel and husband John, of Lee’s Summit, MO, Teri Hankins, of Overland Park, KS, Pamela Lauderback and husband Michael, of St. Peter’s, MO, two sisters; Viola Lovelett Gerber, of Portland, OR, Betty Lovelett King, of Milwaukie, OR, one brother, Ray Lovelett, of Portland, OR, nine grandchildren: Zachary Frazier, Geri Kaufman Seavey, Charles Kaufman, Richard Wessel, Kirk Wessel, Joshua Hankins, Jaclyn Diann Hankins, Meredith Jackson Adkisson and John Elden Jackson, twenty-four great grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter, He was preceded in death by two brothers, Manford Lovelett and Elzie Lovelett and a sister, Fern Coughtry.

The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m. Monday at the Warren-McElwain Mortuary-Eudora Chapel in Eudora. There will be a Masonic Service at 7 p.m.

The family suggests memorials in his name to the Eudora United Methodist Church and may be sent in care of the mortuary.