Obituary index

Elmer Spitze

[December 27, 2007]  Elmer W. Spitze, 87, of Lincoln died Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2007, at 9:05 a.m. at his home.

There will be a private family service at Camp Butler National Cemetery, Springfield, with Billy McCall and the Rev. John Nelson co-officiating.

Mr. Spitze was a retired union electrician.

He was a U.S. Army veteran.

He was born May 16, 1920, in Berryville, Ark., to Wesley H. and Nora Stulkin Spitze. He married Jean Gentry on Feb. 14, 1942, and she preceded him in death on Aug. 24, 1969. He married Bettie Dexter on May 26, 1974.

He is survived by his wife, of Lincoln; one son, Charles (and Roberta) Spitze of Weare, N.H.; one daughter, Jeanette (and Amiya) Das of Champaign; one stepson, Duane (and Brenda) Dexter of Lincoln; one stepdaughter, Glenda Jean (and Phillip) Brown of Chesterton, Ind.; one brother, Robert (and Hazel) Spitze of Urbana; one sister, Dora Grace (and Nolan) McCall of Berryville, Ark.; one sister-in law, Doris Spitze and her daughter, Loretta, of Berryville, Ark.; two grandchildren; and five stepgrandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepmother, Grace Spitze, who raised him; his first wife; one brother, Gerald; and one stepson, Ben Dexter.

He was reared on a farm at Berryville, Ark., and graduated from high school with the Class of 1938.

He was inducted into the Army at Camp Robinson on Aug. 25, 1942. From there he was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he became a member of the 447th Army Coast Artillery and received his first six months of training. Next he was sent to the Camp Young, Calif., desert training center. He attained the rank of staff sergeant.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Lincoln Lodge 210 and a 50-year member of the IBEW union.

Memorials may be made to Memorial Home Services Hospice.

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