Eldon Ray McCormick

With full hearts and deep sorrow, we celebrate the life of Eldon McCormick, who passed peacefully on July 14, 2025. While we grieve his passing, we rejoice knowing he is now in the presence of Jesus-a moment he often talked about with joy and certainty.

Church service for Eldon Ray McCormick, age 90, of Amarillo, Texas and formerly of Oklahoma Lane, Texas, is scheduled for 11:00 AM, Saturday, July 19, 2025 at Oklahoma Lane Community Church in Oklahoma Lane with Vaughan Gossman of Clovis, New Mexico officiating. Burial will be in Oklahoma Lane Cemetery. Eldon died Monday, July 14, 2025 in Amarillo. He was born February 10, 1935 in Danville, Arkansas to A.R. and Hattie Bell (Morgan) McCormick. He married Joyce Howard in Clovis, New Mexico on March 4, 1977.

Eldon relished his life tilling the soil, reaping the crops, and fixin' what needed fixing. Farming introduced him to a wonderful extended family as he loved and honored the people he worked for and the people he worked with. The outdoor life and the working in God's soil led him to discover all sorts of treasures. His collection of arrowheads, fossils, and rocks could rival those found in some museums.

Eldon had the hands of an artist and the heart of a servant. With just a scrap of wood and a vision, he could carve beauty where there was none. From intricate walking canes to ornate churches, his creations were more than projects-they were a ministry. Even after retirement, he couldn't sit still. He found joy in helping others, spending time in the farm store just to lend a hand or solve a problem no one else could.

Eldon deeply loved his family. He was endlessly proud of his two sons, Alton and Kerk, and their bond was filled with wisdom, work, and plenty of humor. But the greatest joy of his life was his beloved wife, Joyce. He doted on her, protected her, and made sure everyone knew that she was his greatest blessing. Their love was steadfast and enduring-a true partnership.

Together, Eldon and Joyce traveled across the country, often with a travel trailer hitched up and the road stretched wide in front of them. They spent summers living in Pendaries and escaped the cold as snowbirds in the winter. It wasn't just travel-it was a calling they shared, and they lived it with purpose, laughter, and love.

He never met a stranger and never forgot a name. He could fix anything-even if it tried to kill him. He was tough as nails and had more lives than a cat. And if you ever got hurt around him-no matter how bad it looked-you were likely to hear him say with a grin, "I've got worse places on my eyeball."

Eldon's faith was his foundation. He knew this life was temporary and lived each day with heaven in mind. We're certain that when he arrived, he walked straight through the gates, extended a calloused hand, and gave Jesus the firmest handshake heaven's ever seen accompanied with his famous greeting "Well, hello there Jesus". And then, without missing a beat, probably asked if there was anything around that needed fixing.

We'll miss his hands, his stories, his laugh, and his love-but we'll carry them all with us, always…

He is preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Everett McCormick, Robert McCormick, Billy McCormick and Tommy McCormick; and three sisters, Wanda Williams, Douise Ellison and Janice Davis.

Eldon is survived by his wife, Joyce; two sons, Alton McCormick and his wife, Terri of Amarillo, Texas and Kerk McCormick and his wife, Carrie of Jacksonville, Arkansas; his step-daughter, Brenda Ford and her husband, Jerry of Clovis, New Mexico; a sister-in-law Ruby McCormick of Clovis, New Mexico; his seven grandchildren, Chris McCormick and his wife, Melinda, Amy Sellmyer and her husband, Jeromy, Lisa McCormick, Amber McCormick, Tiffany McCormick and Derrick Ketcherside; and his sixteen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

The family suggests memorials be sent to Oklahoma Lane Community Church, 647 FM 1731, Farwell, Texas, 79325.