Daniel Buck Elyea

Daniel Buck Elyea, 82
Okeechobee – Daniel Buck Elyea died October 9, 2023. He was born April 27, 1941 in Chicago, Illinois. A resident of Okeechobee for 48 years, he was a member of the First Baptist Church of Okeechobee.
His parents were missionaries to Nigeria with SIM. During his time in Nigeria (1945 – 1955), Dan lived in Minna, Jos, and Saminaka; he attended school at Hillcrest, at home, and at Kent Academy. During the last half of his life, Dan enjoyed recalling incidents from those early years, putting many of them in written form to share with family and friends.
Simroots provided an appropriate venue to post some of the Nigerian memories. Dan especially appreciated working with Simroots Editor Karen Keegan for over 20 years, as part of the production staff.
Mr. Elyea was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Reagle Elyea and Doretha Elaine (Zerbel) Elyea.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Margaret "Peggy" Elyea; son, Benjamin Daniel Elyea, both of Okeechobee, Florida; daughters, Laura Moyers, of Golden, Illinois, Teresa Hoffman (Tony), of Leesburg, Florida, Kathryn Reeves, of West Palm Beach, Florida, and Sarah Elyea, of Staton, North Dakota; nine grandchildren; two great grandchildren – and two more great grandchildren on the way; brothers, Thomas Elyea (Jill), of Portage, Michigan, Douglas Elyea (Shelia), of Belmont, Michigan, and Timothy Elyea (Julie), of Rockford, Michigan; and sisters, Frances Cook (Lynn), of Marshall, Michigan, Shirley Aeschbacher (Ken), of Versailles, Missouri, Iva Grennell (Gerald), of Borne, Texas, Lorna Couch, of Kentwood, Michigan, and Roxann Roberts (Buzzy), of Sebring, Florida.
Completing his technical studies (with a major in Radio Broadcasting) at Moody in 1966, Dan worked his adult life in the technical and management aspects of Christian radio broadcasting (mostly shortwave). The stations where he served were: WMIT-FM in Western North Carolina, Radio Station ELWA in Monrovia, Liberia, WYFR-SW in Scituate, Massachusetts, and WYFR-SW in Okeechobee, Florida.
Raising a family, serving in Christian radio, finding some treasured musical outlets in playing classical guitar and harmonica, writing fiction and non-fiction, a lifetime of study – both job-related and other-related: despite many bumps in the roads, Dan looked back thankfully on a life well-lived.
Services will be held at a later date.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Okeechobee.
Those wishing to leave a message of condolence may sign the register book at, www.OkeechobeeFuneralHome.com
All arrangements are entrusted to the direction and care of the Buxton & Bass Okeechobee Funeral Home, 400 North Parrott Avenue, Okeechobee, Florida, 34972.