Eldor Pflughoeft
d. February 15, 2013
Eldor Pflughoeft
Eldor Pflughoeft
Mr. Eldor Robert Pflughoeft, 94, Watersmeet, MI, went home to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with the music of Amazing Grace (played by a bagpipe on YouTube) playing softly in the background. He died Friday, February 15, 2013, at University Hospital, Augusta, GA, surrounded by his daughters, and a grandson and his wife. He was born in Hobart, IN, May 28, 1918, and moved to Michigan in 1966. He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Adah Ellamae (Simpson) Pflughoeft.
Survivors include 4 children - Diane (Paul) James, Grovetown, GA; Rev. Mark (Susie) Pflughoeft, DeMotte, IN; Rex (Barbara) Pflughoeft, Watersmeet, MI; and Becky (Jay) Shifra, Land O' Lakes, WI; 11 grandchildren - Michael James, Plymouth, MN; Mark (Kathy) James, Edgefield, SC; Scott (Wendy) Pflughoeft, Auburn, IN; Rev. Darren (Carolyn) Pflughoeft, Lusk, WY; Todd (Casey) Pflughoeft, Crown Point, IN; Roy (Christie) Pflughoeft, North Pole, AK; Melissa (Ron) Haapala, Lowville, NY; Jeanette & JJ Shifra, Land O' Lakes, WI; Jessica Shifra, Temple, FL; and Matt (Alyssa) Shifra, Portland, OR; 22 great-grandchildren - Samantha, Laura & Scott James; Ember, Aspen, Ily & Yara Pflughoeft; Cade & Adah Pflughoeft; Emma, Abagail, Beckett & Oliver Pflughoeft; Jacob, Marie, Emma, Isabell, Sophia & Olivia Pflughoeft; Michelle Haapala; and James & Caleb Shifra.
He is also survived by a sister, Victoria Richmond, Belle Vista, AR, and 3 nephews - David Richmond, Corpus Christi, TX; Miles (Elma) Richmond, Rogers, AR; and Bob (Kathy) Shedd, Green Bay, WI; as well as numerous other relatives.
Mr. Pflughoeft was the son of Herman and Lola Pflughoeft of Hobart, IN. A virtuoso flutist, he won the national championship flute solo contest as both a high school junior and senior (1935 and 1936) at a time when national championships were still held. He graduated from the University of Michigan as a music major in education. Instead of a music career, however, he chose to go into the family funeral home business. Together with his parents, he owned Pflughoeft Funeral Home, Hobart, IN, for many years.
A World War II Veteran, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944. He served as a medic in Epinal, France, until the war in Europe ended in 1945. Multi-talented, his musical talents, as well as his ability as a baseball player (he once had a chance to play for the New York Giants) kept him out of combat because his commander wanted a good baseball team, as well as someone to play for chapel services.
Following his retirement as a funeral director he moved to Watersmeet, MI, in January, 1966, where his family purchased the Dairy Maid, Land O' Lakes, WI, that spring. They operated it for many summers. Beginning in November, 1967, he had a second career as band director for high school and junior high bands in Wakefield, MI. He had a special gift for working with the students and nurtured a love of good music in several hundred children. For the bands’ annual Christmas concerts, Mr. Pflughoeft saw to it that the gym, as well as the music stands, were decorated for Christmas. Together with his wife, Adah, every spring they treated the senior band members to a steak cookout at Lake Superior.
Mr. Pflughoeft was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who always had time to spend fishing on his beloved Cisco Chain of Lakes with all who came to visit. He spent many years caring for his invalid wife until her death in December, 2010, and continued to live independently until January, 2013, when he went to Georgia to spend the winter months with his daughter.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Hobart, IN, for 48 years and then Hope Lutheran Church, Land O' Lakes, WI, until his death. Mr. Pflughoeft was cremated in Georgia and his cremains returned to Michigan. A memorial service will be held on June 23rd at Hope Lutheran Church, when his widespread family and friends can gather to celebrate his life. His cremains will be buried next to his wife’s in Watersmeet Township Cemetery. Memorials may be given to Hope Lutheran Church, Land O’Lakes, WI, 54540.
Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com
Mr. Eldor Robert Pflughoeft, 94, Watersmeet, MI, went home to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with the music of Amazing Grace (played by a bagpipe on YouTube) playing softly in the background. He died Friday, February 15, 2013, at University Hospital, Augusta, GA, surrounded by his daughters, and a grandson and his wife. He was born in Hobart, IN, May 28, 1918, and moved to Michigan in 1966. He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Adah Ellamae (Simpson) Pflughoeft.
Survivors include 4 children - Diane (Paul) James, Grovetown, GA; Rev. Mark (Susie) Pflughoeft, DeMotte, IN; Rex (Barbara) Pflughoeft, Watersmeet, MI; and Becky (Jay) Shifra, Land O' Lakes, WI; 11 grandchildren - Michael James, Plymouth, MN; Mark (Kathy) James, Edgefield, SC; Scott (Wendy) Pflughoeft, Auburn, IN; Rev. Darren (Carolyn) Pflughoeft, Lusk, WY; Todd (Casey) Pflughoeft, Crown Point, IN; Roy (Christie) Pflughoeft, North Pole, AK; Melissa (Ron) Haapala, Lowville, NY; Jeanette & JJ Shifra, Land O' Lakes, WI; Jessica Shifra, Temple, FL; and Matt (Alyssa) Shifra, Portland, OR; 22 great-grandchildren - Samantha, Laura & Scott James; Ember, Aspen, Ily & Yara Pflughoeft; Cade & Adah Pflughoeft; Emma, Abagail, Beckett & Oliver Pflughoeft; Jacob, Marie, Emma, Isabell, Sophia & Olivia Pflughoeft; Michelle Haapala; and James & Caleb Shifra.
He is also survived by a sister, Victoria Richmond, Belle Vista, AR, and 3 nephews - David Richmond, Corpus Christi, TX; Miles (Elma) Richmond, Rogers, AR; and Bob (Kathy) Shedd, Green Bay, WI; as well as numerous other relatives.
Mr. Pflughoeft was the son of Herman and Lola Pflughoeft of Hobart, IN. A virtuoso flutist, he won the national championship flute solo contest as both a high school junior and senior (1935 and 1936) at a time when national championships were still held. He graduated from the University of Michigan as a music major in education. Instead of a music career, however, he chose to go into the family funeral home business. Together with his parents, he owned Pflughoeft Funeral Home, Hobart, IN, for many years.
A World War II Veteran, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944. He served as a medic in Epinal, France, until the war in Europe ended in 1945. Multi-talented, his musical talents, as well as his ability as a baseball player (he once had a chance to play for the New York Giants) kept him out of combat because his commander wanted a good baseball team, as well as someone to play for chapel services.
Following his retirement as a funeral director he moved to Watersmeet, MI, in January, 1966, where his family purchased the Dairy Maid, Land O' Lakes, WI, that spring. They operated it for many summers. Beginning in November, 1967, he had a second career as band director for high school and junior high bands in Wakefield, MI. He had a special gift for working with the students and nurtured a love of good music in several hundred children. For the bands’ annual Christmas concerts, Mr. Pflughoeft saw to it that the gym, as well as the music stands, were decorated for Christmas. Together with his wife, Adah, every spring they treated the senior band members to a steak cookout at Lake Superior.
Mr. Pflughoeft was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who always had time to spend fishing on his beloved Cisco Chain of Lakes with all who came to visit. He spent many years caring for his invalid wife until her death in December, 2010, and continued to live independently until January, 2013, when he went to Georgia to spend the winter months with his daughter.
He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Hobart, IN, for 48 years and then Hope Lutheran Church, Land O' Lakes, WI, until his death. Mr. Pflughoeft was cremated in Georgia and his cremains returned to Michigan. A memorial service will be held on June 23rd at Hope Lutheran Church, when his widespread family and friends can gather to celebrate his life. His cremains will be buried next to his wife’s in Watersmeet Township Cemetery. Memorials may be given to Hope Lutheran Church, Land O’Lakes, WI, 54540.
Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at www.thomaspoteet.com
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