Elden M. Lovelett

Funeral services for Elden M. Lovelett, 86, Eudora, will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Eudora United Methodist Church. Military graveside services will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence.
He died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.
Mr. Lovelett was born Oct. 15, 1924, in Willamina, Ore., the son of Oscar and Agnes Pate Lovelett.
He graduated from Milwaukie Union High School in Milwaukie, Ore. He lived in the Portland, Ore., area, until he was drafted during World War II.
Mr. Lovelett was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was the recipient of a Purple Heart and 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 De Soto. He retired as fire chief after 35 years in 1986. In order to provide for his 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. He served as Master of the Lodge three times. He was a member of the Dorsey-Liberty Post No. 14 of the American Legion in Lawrence, the Abdallah Shrine of Kansas City, Kan., the Scottish Rite Bodies of Lawrence, and the Lawrence Shrine Club. He was also a member of Disabled American Veterans. Mr. Lovelett was a member of the Eudora United Methodist Church.
He married Dorothy Randall, who preceded him in death. He later 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 July 22, 1995. He married Darlene Rider on July 1, 1996. She survives of the Medicalodges in Eudora.
Other survivors include five daughters, Gayla Frazier and husband Lewis, Shawnee, Eldonna Kaufman, Olathe, B. Diann Wessel and husband John, Lee’s Summit, Mo., Teri Hankins, Overland Park, and Pamela Lauderback and husband Michael, St. Peter’s, Mo.; two sisters, Viola Lovelett Gerber, Portland, Ore., and Betty Lovelett King, Milwaukie, Ore.; a brother, Ray, Portland, Ore.; 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; 24 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter.
He was preceded in death by two brothers, Manford and Elzie, and a sister, Fern Coughtry.
The family will greet friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. today at the Warren-McElwain Mortuary—Eudora Chapel. There will be a Masonic service at 7 p.m.
The family suggests memorials to the Eudora United Methodist Church, sent in care of the mortuary, 120 W. 13th St., Lawrence, KS 66044.
Online condolences may be sent at warrenmcelwain.com.

• E-mail this obituary