Elva M. ABBATH

Mrs. Elva M. Abbath, 77, of Good Samaritan Home, formerly of 1729 Locust, died at 3:55 a.m. Friday (Jan. 1, 2010) in Good Samaritan Home. Born May 25, 1932, in Quincy, Elva was a daughter of Oscar and Irma Wittler Dedert. She married Donald C. Abbath on Sept. 7, 1952, in Salem Evangelical Church in Quincy. He died Jan. 24, 1992. A 1949 graduate of Unity High School in Mendon, Elva was employed at Sears for more than 33 years until her retirement in 1997. Elva was an active member of Salem Evangelical United Church of Christ, serving with the Undershepherd Program, and as a Sunday school teacher for many years and a member of the Women's Evening Guild and Quilter's Club. She was also a member of the Quinsippi Stamp Club; the Adams County Genealogical Society; and the 4-H Club, where she later served as a 4-H Leader for several years. Elva loved helping others by volunteering with the Home and Community Education, in the Blessing Hospital Tea Room and with the Blessing Volunteer in Partnership Program. She also served her community as an election judge in Precinct 8 for many years. Survivors include a son, Kenneth Abbath and his wife, Marilyn, of Palmyra, Mo.; a daughter, Marsha Woods and her husband, Roger, of Barry; two grandchildren, Randy Woods and his fiancee, Marie Brown, both of Barry, and Linda Woods of New Berlin and her fiance, Adam King, of Springfield; a stepgrandson, Kyle Vail and his wife, Lora, of Palmyra; a great-granddaughter, Allison Woods of Barry; two stepgreat-grandchildren, Taylor Vail and Kelsey Vail, both of Palmyra; two sisters, Shirley Simon and her husband, Jack, of Quincy, and Elaine Turnbull and her husband, Bill, of Griggsville; and many loving nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Abbath was preceded in death by her parents and a special friend, Lee Gerlach. SERVICES: 11 a.m. Monday in the Zehender Robinson Stormer Cookson Funeral Home conducted by the Rev. Wanda Seydel. Burial will be in Greenmount Cemetery. VISITATION: 4 to 7 p.m. today and until services Monday in the funeral home. MEMORIALS: Salem Church, Blessing Foundation for Hospice or Barry United Methodist Church. ARRANGEMENTS: Zehender Robinson Stormer Cookson Funeral Home. Condolences may be expressed online at www.whig.com.