Violet Patricia Elder, 82, of St. Joseph, passed away Saturday, November 22, 2025 in Mound City, MO.
She was born September 15, 1943 in Kansas City, KS, the first of five children, and the only daughter of Lee and Violet Paxton. She grew up on a small farm in Oregon, Missouri, and attended school at South Holt. She graduated in 1961, and attended beauty school in St. Joseph with aspirations of becoming a hairdresser. In September of 1962, she married the love of her life, Stephen, and embarked on the life of a minister’s wife and homemaker.
Over the course of her life, Patricia became an avid seamstress, cook, and gardener, often being complimented on the products of her hard and diligent work. She loved roses and seemed to have a real knack for growing large, plentiful rose bushes. She was a loving and devoted wife and mother, always at Stephen’s side in support of him and his ministry, and at every PTA meeting, school program, and parent-teacher conference for her kids. And when she became a grandmother, that love and support spilled over into the lives of her grandchildren; always showing up in any way possible to do anything she could to help, to love, to play, and to comfort. As the years passed, she remained steadfast as she cared for Stephen as he began to show signs of Parkinson’s disease. And though she grew tired, she never quit, holding true to her nature, not only as a wife, but as a woman.
Patricia was a devout Christian and an active member of her church. She was in the Ladies Aide at Mitchell Park for a number of years, where she gathered with friends for fellowship, scripture reading, and prayer. She was a firm believer in the power of prayer, making that her first step in facing any challenge or victory. Patricia was a huge John Wayne fan, and could often be found in her favorite chair watching his movies. If it wasn’t The Duke on her TV screen, it was any of her other favorite classics like I Love Lucy or The Andy Griffith Show. She enjoyed music and singing with her favorites being old gospel hymns, country, and Glenn Miller.
Patricia was preceded in death by Stephen, her son Greg, her brother John, and her parents.
Survivors include: her son, Bruce Elder of St. Joseph, MO, daughters, Marsha (Clayton) Branch of Winfield, KS, and Megan Elder of St. Joseph, eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and three brothers.
The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM on Saturday, November 29th at the Rupp Funeral Home. Funeral services and public live stream; 11:00 am. The Interment will be at the Nichols Grove Cemetery, Oregon, MO.
