Elden L. Evert of Republic was born on September 5, 1924 to Elmer and Addie (Thompson) Evert and died on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at the
Belleville
Healthcare
Center
. He was 85. He graduated from
Republic
High School
in 1942 and was valedictorian of his class and was listed on the Lion's Club Honor Roll. He briefly attended college in
McPherson
,
Kansas
before enlisting in the Army in 1943. He served overseas in
Italy
from 1945 to 1947. After returning from active duty, he began farming in Republic. On August 29, 1949, he married Betty Florine Kopsa, who survives of the home. They lived all of their married life in Republic. Elden spent most of his time working on the farm and was very handy with tools. Elden was active in his community by serving on the city council, local school board and his American Legion Post #232. He often recited The Gettysburg Address for community events. His favorite hobby was gardening. He planted fields of potatoes, sweet corn, cantaloupe and pumpkins. Elden's pride and joy, however, was his watermelon. In later years, he enjoyed fishing with his brother, Cliff. He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Addie and two sisters, June (Evert) Vance and Mary Lou (Evert) Delker. Elden is survived by four children: Vicki Hallagin and husband, Ron, Ellis, Kansas; Lorraine Evert and Carl Hoskins, Parsons, Kansas; Randy Evert and wife, Betsy; and Ron Evert and wife, Virginia, Belleville, Kansas. He is survived by 15 grandchildren and their families;
Troy
,
Trent
and Trevor Hallagin; Chris and
Neil Springer
; Holle (Evert) Kniep; Heidi (Evert) Nordstrom; Shelby, Clayton, Krystal, and Lynsey Hergott; Andrew, Erin, Ethan, and Lacey Evert. He was "Grandpa-Great" to twenty-eight great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Cliff Evert and wife, Jetty,
Santa Anna
,
California
and a sister, Darlene (Evert) Jensen,
Courtland
,
Kansas
. Memorial services were held Saturday, April 24, 2010 at Tibbett-Fisher Funeral Home in
Belleville
. Inurnment was in
Prairie
Rose
Cemetery
, rural Republic. The family suggests memorials to the
Republic
United
Methodist
Church
.
Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home,
Belleville
,
Kansas
was in charge of these arrangements.
