Bethany, MO: Faye Donna (Holley) Elder, 87, of Bethany, MO was born on August 2,
1937, in Caldwell County the daughter of Amos Troy and Alma Faye (Hall) Holley and
passed away Thursday, March 6, 2025, at a Bethany, MO nursing home.
On July 31, 1955, she married Charles Elder in Gilman City, MO. They were soon
joined by two sons and one daughter. Faye worked in many factory jobs, including the
Pattonsburg Cap factory, Gallatin glove factory, and she was also a homemaker. She
later worked at Trenton Foods, where she retired from in the mid 90™s. Faye always
wanted her kids and grandkids close to her and at one time they all lived on the same
block in Gilman City. She would have liked it if they all lived in the same house. She
always enjoyed having family over and spent a lot of time babysitting her grandkids.
Faye and Charles enjoyed playing bingo and usually found somewhere to play several
nights a week. They also enjoyed going to dances at the Wagon Wheel and to local
shows in the area. Later on, Charles started his own band and they traveled all over
doing shows. That started a family tradition with all of their kids joining the family band
and playing at fairs and music shows all around the area. That was Faye™s greatest
enjoyment, listening to her kids sing, and dancing with her sons and grandkids.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, of 66 years, Charles; three
sisters, Pauline Stephenson, Betty Souders, and Lorene “Aunt Red” Taylor; in-laws,
Johnnie and Annie Elder; five brothers-in-law; two sisters-in-law; and several nieces and
nephews.
Faye is survived by her sons, Donnie (Darla) Elder, Gallatin, Gary (Jessie) Elder,
Bethany; daughter, Lisa (Dwight) Schell, Bethany; 11 grandkids; 26 great grandkids;
and 10 great-great grandkids with one on the way.
Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at Roberson Funeral
Home, Bethany, MO. Burial will follow in Masonic Cemetery, Gilman City, MO. The
family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials
may be made to Masonic Cemetery in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46,
Bethany, MO 64424. Online condolences may be left at
www.robersonfuneralhome.com.
